Te Noninga Kumu – Motueka Public Library

The building’s distinctive red, corrugated exterior walls and roof allude to the traditional forms of the many barns and sheds that can be seen on farmland surrounding Motueka. In fact, the red ochre pigment of kōkōwai was mined nearby in Golden Bay and can be seen on many of Nelson’s historic buildings. It was also an important material for local iwi, all of which made this an easy colour choice for the cladding, says JTB Architects’ Director and Principal Simon Hall.

“The kōkōwai red colour was a perfect match with Pioneer Red from COLORSTEEL®,” he says. “COLORSTEEL® was a perfect product for the project. It is durable, long lasting, and the profile is also reflective of the rural vernacular of the buildings we were inspired by.”

The COLORSTEEL® is paired with thermally modified Abodo timbers, furthering the barn aesthetic, and also helping to achieve a sustainable design through lasting, low maintenance materials.

Energy efficiency was a large part of the brief for the architects, with an aim of achieving net zero electricity through the use of over 250 photovoltaic panels. These sustainability aspects are furthered by a wastewater filtration system, including a rainwater tank that feeds into a carp pond, and natural ventilation through sliding doors leading to reading decks.

Each edge of the rectangular building is slightly varied for visual interest and to help engage with the adjacent reserve, laneway and street. Connections to the outdoors were an important part of the brief, achieved through openings along the reserve face of the building and large areas of glazing to activate the street front.

Since its opening in March 2022, Te Noninga Kumu has swept up a raft of prizes for its ingenious design, including an NZIA Public Architecture Award, a Sustainable Development Commendation in the Timber Design Awards, and of course being awarded the 2023 COLORSTEEL® Commercial Building of the Year. Judge Ken Crosson was greatly impressed with what he called an extraordinary civic building.

“We thought the materiality was engaging and the colour had a very regional context. Their use of space, their use of ventilation, their use of low carbon materials, and the powering of it through solar energy was very aspirational,” he says.

Pioneer Red is a country classic at home on everything including the family bach, the dairy shed and the local convenience store. It delivers warmth to paler shades like creams and whites, and acts as a bright contrast to military greys.