Waiheke Island Library
By Pacific Environments Architects
A new library for Auckland’s Waiheke Island transforms a well-known arts precinct, which includes a theatre, gallery, cinema and restaurant.
At the heart of the library’s design vocabulary is the suggestion of a canopy of pohutukawa, the evergreen tree that grows throughout coastal New Zealand. This is expressed with translucent ceiling panels incised with an intricate cutaway leaf pattern. Extending upward to meet the canopy are several angled columns that create a ‘forest’ that populates the library’s interior and exterior areas.
Entered via a sheltered courtyard, the library’s main interior holds an easily navigated layout of central book shelves, and a variety of seating, studying and meeting areas. A spiral staircase ascends to an overhead balcony where children may read alone or in groups, or engage in imaginative play.
The building’s striking façade is immediately apparent as its boldly distinguishing feature. This is wrapped by a series of wooden battens that evoke a series of book spines. Expanses of glass, enhanced with Māori design, sit between the battens at intervals, contributing to a sense of openness and transparency.
Paying tribute to Waiheke Island’s climatic conditions, Kazu Nakagawa’s forty-nine letters is an artwork that is literally carved into the new building’s façade. A long-time resident, the artist describes the island’s conditions with these words: LOTS OF RAIN, LOTS OF SUN, LOTS OF WIND, LOTS OF DAY, LOTS OF NIGHT.
Nakagawa hand-carved this phrase, letter by letter, into the southern façade’s waved-battens over six months. The words shift in and out of focus as the island’s light conditions change. Applied with ceramic frit, the phrase continues uninterrupted on the façade’s glass surfaces.
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Waiheke Island Library
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Pacific Environments Architects is an environmentally focused architectural & urban design practice working towards the best outcomes for people, place and community.
With over 60 years experience, our portfolio showcases a diverse range of projects – master planning and urban design, civic and community centres, commercial buildings, retirement villages, large and small-scale residential, community housing, education facilities, sports and leisure and resort projects.
Whatever the size of your project, we have specialists from our team of 40 that can guide you through the design process. We support our services with a clear and cohesive design process. From briefing to project completion, including pre-purchase feasibility, site selection and contract administration, our goal is to provide an easy-to-follow and enjoyable experience.
An underlying philosophy at Pacific Environments is to promote environmentally sustainable and regenerative design. We believe that designing physical objects, the built environment and associated infrastructure to comply with the principles of social, economic and ecological sustainability are core to a constantly regenerating and self-sustaining ecosystem. Pacific Environments were early to adopt environmentally sustainable processes and methodologies in the practice, and were one of the founding signatories of New Zealand Architects Declare. As such, we are committed to strengthening our working practices to create architecture and urbanism that has a more positive impact on the world around us. We have recently joined Toitu Envirocare and are working towards becoming a certified carbon zero company by 2023.
The Pacific Environments team genuinely love what they do, our positive, energetic and ‘hands on’ approach along with a focus on understanding our clients’ needs means that we deliver tailored solutions, not generic answers.
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