Tūranga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tūranga |
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Tūranga in April 2019
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| General information | |
| Type | Library |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | Corner of Gloucester Street, Colombo Street, and Cathedral Square, Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 43°31′48″S 172°38′13″E / 43.5299°S 172.6369°E |
| Construction started | 22 February 2016 (Groundworks) |
| Opened | 12 October 2018 |
| Cost | NZ$102.61m |
| Owner | Christchurch City Council |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | Five storeys |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Architectus, Schmidt Hammer Lassen |
| Structural engineer | LewisBradford Consulting Engineers |
| Main contractor | Southbase Construction |
Tūranga is the main public library in Christchurch, New Zealand. It opened on 12 October 2018. This amazing library replaced the old Christchurch Central Library. That library had to close after the big 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Contents
Where is Tūranga?
Tūranga is located in the heart of Christchurch Central City. You can find it in Cathedral Square. It sits at the corner of Gloucester Street and Colombo Street. Before Tūranga, other buildings stood on this exact spot.
Why a New Library?
The terrible 2011 Christchurch earthquake caused a lot of damage. The old central library had to close because of it. After the earthquake, the city made a plan to rebuild. This plan was called the "Blueprint". It listed 17 important projects, and a new central library was one of them!
The Christchurch City Council was in charge of building the new library. They worked with Ngāi Tahu and the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA). The goal was to open the new library by 2015, but building big projects takes time. The opening date was moved a few times, first to 2017, then to 2018.
Designing Tūranga
In March 2015, the plans for the new library were shown. It was going to cost about $85 million. The library was named Tūranga, which is a Māori language word.
Tūranga is much bigger than the old library. It is the largest library in the South Island of New Zealand. It's also the third-largest in all of New Zealand! Only Auckland and Wellington's central libraries are bigger.
Two architecture firms designed the building. One was Architectus from New Zealand. The other was Schmidt Hammer Lassen, an award-winning firm from Denmark. The building's design was inspired by the beautiful golden colours of the Port Hills. These hills are a very important part of Christchurch's landscape.
Building Tūranga
Building a library this big is a huge job! After construction started, the cost went up. The Christchurch City Council increased their contribution from $60 million to $95 million. This happened because of things like buying the land and general price increases over time.
Finally, Tūranga opened its doors to the public on 12 October 2018. It was a very exciting day! Over 13,000 people visited the library during its first weekend. Since then, Tūranga has won many awards for its design and services.
What's in a Name?
The name Tūranga was suggested by Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri rūnanga. It connects to Whitireia, which is the Māori name for Cathedral Square.
There's a story behind the name. Paikea was an important ancestor of the Ngāi Tahu people. Whitireia was the name of his house. This house was located in Tūranga, which was the original name for Gisborne in the North Island. So, the name Tūranga for the library honours the special place where Paikea's house once stood. Christchurch city councillors officially approved the name in September 2017.
Cool Stuff Inside
Tūranga is packed with amazing facilities for everyone!
- A huge, touch-sensitive Discovery Wall. It's 7 metres long and shows an interactive digital picture of Christchurch.
- A comfy café where you can grab a snack.
- A community arena with 200 seats for events.
- Fun activity rooms and crafts facilities.
- Cool 3D printing facilities where you can make things.
- An exhibition space to see interesting displays.
- Quiet study spaces and meeting rooms.
- A special children’s play area with a cool LED light show.
You'll also find lots of technology:
- Public computers with free internet access.
- Free Wi-Fi for your own devices.
- Playstations for gaming fun.
- Virtual reality (VR) headsets and games.
- Printing and photocopying services.
- Scan to email or USB options.
- Production and audio visual studios for creative projects.
