Making right connections at Tūranga
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The story of the city’s most innovative community space begins at He Hononga – Connection, the ground floor of Christchurch’s new central library, Tūranga.
He Hononga provides a diverse portal to Tūranga. The ground floor space is part cafe, part venue, part learning area and book depository – from foodie spot Foundation Cafe to a wealth of information on the Discovery Wall.
Among the many floor features are Spark Place – a venue for meetings, seminars, presentations, workshops, classes, celebrations, symposiums, film presentations, trade shows and demonstrations; and a technology and innovation zone for sampling fresh developments and media.
Tūranga's ground floor, He Hononga – Connection.
“We want Tūranga – from when you first step through the doors into He Hononga – to change the way people think about the word ‘library’,” Christchurch City Council Central Library Manager Chris Hay says.
“We hope all visitors feel welcome in He Hononga as they explore their city’s heritage, discover new knowledge, try out fresh experiences or sample a taste of the region in our easily accessible cafe.”
Mr Hay says Tūranga has been designed for the people of Christchurch and “nowhere is that more apparent than in the ground-floor area showcasing the Discovery Wall”.
“The high-tech, touch-sensitive, digital representation of Christchurch allows users to swipe their way through a virtual world of information,” he says.
“Users can ‘fly’ through the city and discover images and video relating to Christchurch’s history and identity and even upload their own stories, photos and video directly from their devices.”
He Hononga also hosts the reception area, library-related displays, magazines and best sellers, a book return section, and the starting point for a library tour.
Mr Hay believes the other major He Hononga assets are the library staff.
“Our wonderful, friendly, professional and enthusiastic staff can’t wait to welcome local residents and city visitors into the city’s beautiful new community-focused space.”