2018 Canterbury Architecture Awards Winner
Matuku Takotako: Sumner Centre
Matuku Takotako: Sumner Centre is a new facility – influenced by the community but civic in scale – that replaces three pre-quake buildings. The new library is precedent-setting for Christchurch, breaking down the traditional threshold to include adjacent public spaces, while inviting the community to their new living room. Issues of scale have been addressed via form and materiality, with rust oxide-coloured concrete responding to the volcanic cliff backdrop and larch battens reflecting the weathered coastal environment. Building hard to the street corner references the volume of a demolished predecessor building; communal memory is further respected in the adaptive re-use of salvaged elements including a war memorial roll. Adjacent street furniture and public transport infrastructure have been integrated into the overall design.
- Practice
- Athfield Architects Limited
- Category
- Planning & Urban Design
- Location
- Canterbury
