Aranui Library Building

Aranui Library will be a special building with many unique features.

Key features

• In the heart of the community. Bordering on to Wainoni Park. Across the park from the Christchurch City Council’s Aranui Family Centre, a kindergarten, Heartlands and the Aranui Community Trust (ACTIS) offices.
• Using Smart Library technology.
• 500 m² building utilising natural light and sustainable design features. Learning and recreational spaces, including a Whanau Room (multi-purpose group learning and meeting space) and an enclosed courtyard off the children's area including children’s play equipment.
• Steel frame construction, lightweight steel roof and compacted gravel raft foundations.

Art in the library

Artwork will be a special part of the building. The new library has already been given a special koha of work from Kohinga Toi. Find out more about this exciting gift.

Sustainable building

Aranui will be a sustainable building. Here is what is proposed by the architects :

• The framework will be made of steel frames that will express the structural function visually, made to look good. The lightweight steel roof structure will be able to respond elastically in an earthquake. A compacted gravel raft foundation has been designed
• Roofing is cantilevered, extends out over the building itself and will provide shelter from the sun in summer and protection from the rain in winter.
• Concrete roof panels that are robust and fire resistant also provide thermal storage for solar energy and passive regulation of internal temperatures, give back the warmth as the day cools down.
• The triangular profile and seamless internal gutter will reduce the opportunity for leaks and the catchment of rainwater that can be used for irrigation of the landscape.
• Concrete beam walls supporting the roof isolate noise and allow for activities to be adjacent to each other.
• High level north facing windows will capture winter sunshine and the large number of windows will provide natural lighting and reduce the demand for artificial lighting.
• Water soluble paint that has low environmental impact will be used wherever possible.
• Drought resistant, low maintenance, durable plants for the landscaping.
• Light sensors to power up or down increase efficiency of fluorescent lighting and low water use fixtures to make future savings in power and water.

Every aspect of the building has been evaluated for sustainability and we are proud of this wonderful creative building that will be an enhancement to the park and neighbourhood.