Honed to shine
AS I TAKE THE NEW CHRISTCHURCH Southern Motorway for about 20 minutes southwest from Christchurch city, then turn left off State Highway 1, a glimmering, angled object, much taller than the single-level houses and shops in its proximity, catches my eye. This is Te Ara Ātea, a building designed as a beacon to its community and a striking first step for the Selwyn District Council in its plan for Rolleston Town Centre.
Te Ara Ātea’s functions are diverse – a hybridised library, museum, community and performance facility – and a reflection of the needs of the people in today’s Rolleston. It joins the global trend of libraries as democratic, accessible, neutral spaces in which to relax and socialise – much more than just a place to borrow books. Despite the many driving forces of the brief, rounds of dreaded value engineering during its design and various Covid-19 lockdowns throughout its construction period, the project has endured. In fact, Te Ara Ātea has been carefully honed to shine.
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