2015 Canterbury Architecture Awards Winner
Ruataniwha Civic Centre Kaiapoi
A bold urban strategy has conjured a distinctive and inviting civic building, providing a much-needed boost to the public domain in Kaiapoi, one of the areas most affected by the earthquakes. The Ruataniwha Civic Centre is more than just a library. The building offers an impressive range of learning and recreational facilities, including a double-height museum display area and an array of much needed community meeting space. Movement is a key theme in and around this building. Raised over a generous atea space and main entry, a delicate white steel canopy provides a sense of place and identity without overwhelming the streetscape. It is surprisingly low-key, and gives the kind of dappled shelter normally found amongst a grove of trees. Yet it is not a place of repose, but a busy forecourt. Around the corner and facing the river, bold oversized screens swing out in an almost kinetic fashion, cradling the interior from direct sun while opening up views of the river. Routes through the library and associated spaces are lively and animated. The architects have knitted together a series of articulated spaces, encouraging visitors to explore as well as to retreat for quiet reads. This valuable civic amenity has already transformed the township of Kaiapoi.
- Practice
- Warren and Mahoney Architects Ltd
- Category
- Public Architecture
- Location
- Canterbury
