A tour of Ashburton’s new library and civic centre, Te Whare Whakatere, is an opportunity to show off the district’s new asset, with construction on track to open later this year. Jonathan Leask went for a look.
It looks big – and it is.
The current library is around 900 square metres and the new library space – the majority of the bottom floor and half the first floor, totals 2500sq m – just under three times the size.
A highlight is the large “performance space”, a room with terraced seating, bathed in natural light as it backs onto the rear courtyard, which will have a playground area.
Project manager Logic Group director Shaun Pont described it as a “flexible space” that can host performances, events, public meetings, or utilising the large LED screen.
The first floor also has several bookable meeting rooms of varying sizes, and another feature is the maker…
