The joys of reading

A library is a pivotal part of the community, used by people of all ages and backgrounds, for a variety of purposes, whether it be for borrowing books, meeting other locals or simply as a quiet place to sit and read.

The new Birkenhead Library and Civic Centre was designed to house the library, council services, Plunket and Citizens Advice Bureau, and to provide meeting rooms for community groups. It also incorporates a learning centre for after-school homework support and adult community learning.

Designed by architect Brendan Rawson and the team at Archoffice, the building is set back on the Nell Fisher Reserve with views of Auckland stretching from Rangitoto to the Waitakere ranges.

"The architectural concept for the library is based around the narrative of looking through existing trees on site to the view. The result is open public areas with excellent natural and artificial light. We have a pleasant quality of light that subtly changes in different weathers during the day, until night-time, when the building becomes transparent," he says.

Exterior facades are in a range of materials, with lightweight precast panels, slot windows, Aliclad panels and automatic louvres integrated into a structural steel frame on the south side. Laminated purpleheart and Alaskan yellow cedar timber fins screen the front, or west, facade, controlling the sun and adding a sculptural element to the building.

Story by: Trendsideas