Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui (The Window to the Wider World), our Central Library, is opening in March 2026 and will be a space for everyone, with each experience opening a window to knowledge, connection and a sense of belonging. It will be a place where people can learn, cultures and communities can connect and everyone can enjoy access to special public spaces.
About Te Matapihi
Wellingtonians love their libraries, and Te Matapihi Central Library has a special place in their hearts. That’s why the Council confirmed in 2020 that the building would be remediated to the highest standard (base isolation), following its closure to the public in March 2019.
In 2020, work began on the future for Te Matapihi. This process involved consultation with the Wellington public, including mana whenua, and many other key stakeholders and partners. The feedback was clear: Wellingtonians wanted Te Matapihi to be first and foremost a safe, resilient, and future-proofed library, a centre for public knowledge, and a multipurpose, multi-use resource for the community.
As a result of that community engagement, in April 2021 Council adopted the following guiding principles:
- Engage fully with mana whenua
- Design for the visitor
- Harness the power of partnership
- Make it a modern library, fit for purpose, make it Wellington.
Co-design partnership
The redesign of Te Matapihi is inspired by te taiao – the natural environment, with specific reference to the flora and fauna of the forest floor, which flourished for centuries along our waterfront. Athfield Architects, led by Zac Athfield, and Tihei Limited, led by designer and artist Rangi Kipa, are bringing the elements of te taiao to life to create an inclusive and accessible community space for all.
When Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui reopens in March 2026 you will find:
- the Central Library Services
- the City Archives
- Nōku te Ao Capital E - services for young people to grow their creativity
- the Council Customer Service Centre
- a large ground floor café, linking to Te Ngākau Civic Square
- active spaces for meeting and making connections
- creative spaces
- quiet spaces to study and read
- special collections including our city’s taonga, and mana whenua and subsequent settler communities’ heritage
- the books will be back! Over 250,000 items will be on display
The target is for the building to be New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) 5-star rated, meaning it has a high standard in terms of environmentally sustainable design. This will help towards the goal of making Wellington a zero-carbon city (net zero emissions) by 2050. Green Star is an independent tool that rates a building’s overall environmental impact across nine categories. Read more about Green Star on NZGB website.
When Te Matapihi reopens in March 2026, it will once again be a vibrant hub of learning, discovery, creativity, and connection for all Wellingtonians. It will be an integral part of the beating heart of our capital city and the life of Wellington, and the first of multiple Te Ngākau Civic Square projects designed to bring our communities together for shared learning, and rich creative, cultural, democratic, and arts experiences.
Project milestones
- March 2019: Library closure
- July 2020: Community consultation on the future of the library
- October 2020: Council approval to strengthen the building
- April 2021: Design principles agreed
- April 2022: Preliminary design approved
- December 2022: LT McGuiness begins construction
- September 2023: Detail design complete. All 49 piles installed (piles went down as far as 21 metres before they hit rock).
- November 2023: First base isolators installed.
- February 2024: The creation of a seismic gap, called a rattle zone commenced. This is effectively a trench around the building so that in the event of an earthquake the building - separated from the ground on its base isolators and sliders - will have a space to move into.
- March 2024: A new ground floor concrete slab is being poured using a composite flooring system (ComFlor).
- December 2024 – building release onto its base isolators.
- February 2025 – introducing our design theme: te taiao – the natural environment.
- Early 2025: Building envelope complete (back to having walls and windows).
- Mid 2025: Landscaping.
- June 2025 onwards: Book collections move back in.
- August 2025: Practical completion (this is when the building is handed over to the Council).
- September 2025 - February 2026: Library fit-out.
- March 2026: Opening.
Updates
Read the latest news and updates and follow the progress of the construction through images and video.