Christchurch's central library was badly damaged in the Canterbury earthquakes. As part of the city's recovery strategy, a replacement library was identified as a key project to assist the revitalisation of the city centre and Cathedral Square. 

The project responded to the changing role of libraries in today's environment, the local context and international trends in library design. The library provides a social hub for the community to access and share knowledge through a range of media.

Shaw carpet tiles, Nora and Regupol Rubber flooring, and Tredsafe safety nosings were used to create a building which is welcoming, diverse and representative of the community it serves. 

The Shaw View Realm carpet tile was used to create a solid base while the Shaw Extraordinary Primitive carpet tile was used to create a deep textural feeling in one of the many areas in the library. Tredsafe stair nosings were used for safety on the large feature staircase through the middle of the building and Nora and Regupol rubber were used to create an easy to clean activity space.

The building is a beacon, creating a vibrant edge to Cathedral Square and a dialogue between the civic space of the square and the activities within the library, particularly the key public space of the Community Area. 

The project won various awards including:

• NZIA Canterbury Architecture Award - Public Architecture 2019
• NZIA Canterbury Architecture Award - Interior Architecture 2019
• NZIA Canterbury Architecture Award - Resene Colour Award 2019
• Property Council Rider Levett Bucknall Industry Awards Best in category - Civic and Arts 2019
• Property Council Rider Levett Bucknall Industry Awards - Supreme Award 2019