Procter Library - Design Concept

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'I te kore, ki te po, ki te ao marama' - 'From the nothingness, to the night, to the world of light'.

To Paraphrase The Design Brief:

"The intention of the design is to reflect the multicultural character and heritage of Kerikeri within a bicultural context."

Tane and the Three Baskets of Knowledge.

Legend has it that Tane embarked on a great and arduous journey, with many trials, at the end of which he ascended on the wings of the Kotuku or White Heron to the twelfth level of heaven and gained the Three Baskets of Knowledge and the Two Sacred Stones. These he brought back to earth for the use of Mankind and housed in a special house of knowledge or Whare Kura. Tane-Te-Wananga-a-Rangi means Tane, the bringer of knowledge from the sky. This story of Tane has been described as a metaphor for the mental journeys (sometimes difficult or challenging) we all make in our quest for knowledge.

A library is a house of knowledge in many forms and, as such, represents the journeys of many people. A visit to a library will always involve taking a journey whether it is into a fictional world, into the past, the present or the future, into strange lands, outer space or cyber space. Therefore a library is a dynamic and exciting place, full of promise, activity, reflection and adventure.

Our Cultural Heritage.

Whether we are Tangata Whenua, Pakeha or Kiwis, we, or our ancestors, journeyed from over the sea. Our ancestors' earlier journeys, like Tane's, were long and arduous, and involved travelling vast distances from the north across the oceans into the unknown. You could say we are a nation of 'boat people' who have journeyed under many 'flags' to settle here.The Kerikeri people are a microcosm of biculturalism and this wider multiculturalism. Kerikeri has historically had strong links with the sea and the Bay and this strong association continues.

The Procter Library Design.

The design of the building endeavours to incorporate the ideas expressed above along with the specifics of the design brief. This includes identifying the essence of library.

The Floor Plan is in the shape of a ship's prow oriented from north to south. This orientation reflects the fact that we, or our ancestors, originated in the north and journeyed south to the land we all now call home.

Structural Support for the mezzanine floor and roof is provided by a series of steel masts or outriggers representing sailing ships or seagoing waka. These surround the building. These represent our ancestors (people from many cultures) who have come from over the sea to settle here. On top of these masts are symbolic finials representing masts and spars and reflect in their haphazard angles the trials of the arduous sea journeys our ancestors faced.

The Main Roof is in the shape of a pair of wings referring to Tane's journey on the wings of the Kotuku.

The Exterior Lower Walls beside the entranceway and the glass panels in the prow windows above have a stepped design reflecting the stepped pattern of the traditional tukutuku panel that refers to Tane's journey to the heavens.

Corrugated Iron is the quintessential New Zealand building cladding. It was housing New Zealanders from the earliest times of European colonisation. 

The Interior Main Support Column symbolises a giant Kauri tree with branches reaching up to hold up the roof and refers to the legend of Tane where he separates Rangi and Papa and brings light to the world. It also acknowledges the importance of the Kauri tree as the early economic base for Northland and her peoples.

The Main Counter is in the shape of a koru. It is the heart of the building, which branches out from the root of the kauri tree. The macrocarpa timber counter top acknowledges Northlands ongoing relationship with timber with the glassed effect in the knotholes and crevices alluding to Kauri gum. Instead of insects trapped in the 'gum' we have trapped paua shell and pebbles acknowledging links with the sea. The corrugated panels around the counter make reference to the exterior cladding of the building.

The Flooring Design. The carpet design represents a reflection of stars and footprints in dappled water and refers to the journey of Tane in the heavens. The colours of the carpet refer to the colours of Kerikeri with its red volcanic soil, greens of the land and blues of the water. The surface with paua inlays around the counter represents the curve and the holes along the back of the paua shell.

The Colour Scheme. The maroon red in the entranceway which is carried through to the carpet and counter is drawn from the shade that Pohutukawa stamens go when they fall to the ground, dry out and gather in great drifts of colour along the ground.The step pattern on the exterior panels is the colour of flax used in weaving. The blue of the corrugated steel and the silver of the tilt panels refer to the colours of the coastal sea. The interior colours of the main body of the library are drawn from two sources. The pale mauve colour of the upper wall and ceiling are the colour of the sky at dusk and refer to Rangi the sky father. The soft green of the lower walls suggest calm and peace and refer to Papa the earth mother. The bold colours of purple and green pick out the predominant colours of the interior of the paua shell. These colours are also found in the carpet and in the counter.

The Building's Spaces. The building consists of a ground floor and a mezzanine. The mezzanine is accessed by stairs or a lift. Included in the library area are spaces specifically devoted to Maori and New Zealand, Youth, and Children. There are also areas for archives and genealogy, reading and lounge areas, study and computer areas, interview rooms, FNDC customer service facilities, public facilities including baby change, drinks and snacks. Elsewhere in the building are housed FNDC building services offices, a public meeting room and the CAB.

The Landscape Design. The choice of plantings reflect the colours of the building. The form of the plantings represent the bow waves of a waka or ship as it moves through the water.

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