18 | Marlborough District Council & Robinson Construction T T Rachel Graham Library a new Blenheim landmark “When the new facility opens the public will see that it is going to provide access to a completely new generation of what modern libraries are and how they’re used.” T Tto page 120 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Blenheim is about to get a new landmark within its growing river precinct with the opening of the Marlborough District Council’s new library and art gallery. The 3600sqm building will house the Marlborough District Library and the Millennium Art Gallery along with shared areas for meeting rooms, a foyer/r=eception area, café, toilets and multi-purpose education rooms. The building, designed by architects Warren and Mahoney, overlooks the Taylor River in central Blenheim, and will add a vibrant new attraction for locals and those heading along State Highway One through Blenheim. Maighan Watson, the Marlborough District Council’s Projects and Contracts manager, says the design reflects the distinctive features of the local environment, with the straight lines of the vineyards, flowing undulations of the Wither Hills, and slow curves of the rivers. The design also incorporates aspects of Māori culture such as the crosses of tukutuku panels and koru motifs. Funding for the building’s $20 million construction included $11m from the Government’s Kānoa Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit “shovel ready” fund, and a $1m donation from a local gallery benefactor. Planning for the building started around ten years ago and was sparked by the council’s Growing Marlborough Strategy. Maighan Watson, says the Strategy found the libraries in Blenheim and Picton weren’t meeting the community’s needs. “The original Blenheim library, for example, was built in 1965 as an office building,” says Maighan, “since being converted to a library in 1987 the facility has had an extension, refurbishments and seismic strengthening but has completely outgrown its space. It has about 20,000 visitors per month but cannot grow in any sense in the space that they are in.” She says the new facility will also allow the library to keep up to date with the ever-evolving technology now available in modern libraries. “When the new facility opens the public will see that it is going to provide access to a completely new generation of what modern libraries are and how they’re used.” The children’s section will be a particular delight, with its location carefully chosen to get a full view of the fire station next door, and cosy nooks for children to nestle in to read. The Millennium Public Art Gallery also faced similar space issues as well as limits to the collections it could host. PH (03) 578 3475 | www.crafarcrouch.co.nz Civil Works - Earthmoving Drainage, Housing & Subdivisions CRAFAR CROUCH Proudly supporting Marlborough District Council & Robinson Construction
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