Christchurch’s new central library opens
Architectus in association with Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects has designed Tūranga, a vibrant new community hub for central Christchurch, which officially opened on Friday 12 October 2018.
After five years of planning and construction Mayor Lianne Dalziel opened the new central library for Christchurch, and the building saw over 13,000 visitors on the first weekend. Tūranga has breathed life back into the city’s civic heart: Cathedral Square.
Architectus has noted, “The new central library is a visually stunning symbol of hope, unity and rebirth that will fundamentally change the way residents and visitors experience Christchurch’s city centre.”
Tūranga stretches over five storeys and 9500m2, and it celebrates the diversity of New Zealand culture and heritage. The hope is that the new library will be a social hub for visitors to access and share knowledge through a range of media and that it advances literacy and lifetime learning.