Napier’s civic precinct half done

Central Napier is set to receive a new civic precinct space, Te Kete, featuring a community library, public meeting space, council chamber, office tower, and an enlivened outdoor area. Te Kete will be in the block bordered by Hastings, Station and Dalton Streets.

Beyond the library and council facilities, the precinct will feature flexible community rooms, digital education spaces, and a café. The outdoor area will provide laneways, seating, and spaces for events and casual gatherings.

The project, scheduled for completion in 2027, is currently running on time and on budget, with the foundations recently poured – 120 cubic metres of concrete up to 1.7 metres deep. It’s set to bring the area to life, Napier City Council strategic programmes manager Darran Gillies says. 

“Now that the foundation is down, I can’t wait to see our new library come up from the ground. In the first half of next year, the walls will be up and we’ll see the next level of the building pop up over the hoardings.”

The New Zealand Green Building Council has awarded the new library a five Green Star Design rating for its efficient and sustainable architectural approach, representing national excellence in building design. 

“To achieve this rating, we had to think about everything we did, including how we went about deconstructing the former civic building that used to occupy the site,” Darran says.

Quake resilience, greenhouse gas emission reduction, responsibly sourced materials, and water and energy efficiency are key factors in the rating. A greener building is cheaper to run, which ultimately saves ratepayers money. 

“This is the first part of our Green Star journey and only covers the design aspects. We are also aiming to achieve a similar rating for the construction of the building.”

The foundation’s concrete is a sustainable choice that contains up to 50% fly ash, a by-product of coal used in New Zealand’s power plants. This means it will last longer and has up to 65% less carbon than standard concrete. 

“Using low-carbon concrete from a local supplier is part of our commitment to sustainability in all aspects of this project,” says Darran.

The design process for the library and governance facilities was guided by collaboration with mana whenua, stakeholders, councillors, and future users of both the building and its surrounding outdoor spaces.

The project is led by local industry professionals and is set to continue stimulating local construction organisations for the next two years. 

“Opportunities like this don’t come up often,” the Napier City Council’s website reads. “We have a chance to design a special place for ceremonial events and celebrations that acknowledge Napier’s history and its diverse cultures.”