Te Manawa (Westgate)

Te Manawa (Westgate) is a community hub located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is Auckland Council’s first fully-integrated community hub.[1] Officially opened on 6 April 2019, Te Manawa services and resources include a library, customer service centre, rooms for hire, commercial kitchen, creative spaces, work and study areas along with a Citizens Advice Bureau. It serves the suburbs of Westgate, Massey, West Harbour and Hobsonville. Before its official opening, Te Manawa made a soft launch on 26 March 2019 to test the team and the facility, which attracted two thousand visitors on that day.[2] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, Te Manawa had a two-month long closure - closed on 20 March 2020 and reopened to the public on 20 May 2020.[3] [4]

Te Manawa
Te Manawa exterior December 2019. The purpose of this building is expressed through a "stacked book" effect articulated on the facade.
CountryNew Zealand
TypePublic library and community hub
Established2019 (2019)
Location11 Kohuhu Lane, Westgate, Auckland
Coordinates36°49′07″S 174°36′27″E
Branch ofAuckland Libraries
BranchesOne of the 55 branches of Auckland Libraries
Collection
SizeFloating
Map

Building

Te Manawa, known as Westgate Library and Multi-Purpose Facility before the Maori name was gifted, is the central piece of work of the new Westgate town centre development. It was designed by Warren and Mahoney in collaboration with Rawstorne Studio for its interior architecture. This project won the New Zealand Institute of Architects Auckland Awards Public Architecture in 2020 [5][6][7] and DINZ (Designers Institute of New Zealand) Best Awards 2019 – Silver Pin - Public & Institutional Spaces. [8] Its interior design was one of the four shortlisted Interior Awards Winners under Civil catagory in 2019.[9] Te Manawa’s green design includes stormwater detention and re-use, solar power and heating and air-conditioning.

Naming

The facility was gifted the Te Reo Māori name 'Te Manawa' by Matua Heta Tobin of Ngāti Whātua Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara, who also provided names for many of the rooms and hubs within the centre. He had earlier gifted the name Te Pūmanawa (the beating heart) for the wider Westgate Development and the Square which adjoins Te Manawa.[10] Te Manawa means ‘the heart’[11] and reflects the buildings purpose to be at the heart of the community, a place where people are the life blood. [12]. Sadly, Heta Tobin passed away before Te Manawa opened.

Art and design
Te Whare Tapere - Children's Space

A distinctive feature and anchoring piece of interior architectural work is in the children's area on Level 1 named 'Te Whare Tapere' (meaning a place of entertainment, story-telling, dance, games, music and other entertainment[13]). The space was designed by multidisciplinary award-winning artist Robin Rawstorne[14] and was inspired by the concept of a pool in the middle of a forest glade with ripples radiating outwards. The ripples reflect the growing levels of a young readers development. The space was designed to encourage play, ownership and investigation and includes a stage for story-telling and performances, nooks to curl up in and moveable book bins to change the area’s shape and size. [15]

On 9 July 2020 a glass sculpture by Auckland artist Te Rongo Kirkwood (Tainui – Wai o Hua, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Te Kawerau a Maki, Ngapuhi, Taranaki) was installed in the area named 'Pūrerehua' (the name means butterfly or moth[16] and Heta Tobin saw this area near the entrance as drawing people in like moths attracted to light and brilliance). The art work is a life size representation of the now extinct Hokioi (Haast's Eagle). With a wingspan over 3 metres, these huge and powerful native birds used to prey on Moa and were the largest eagles known to have existed.

Nooks at Te Whare Tapere, Children's Space

Services

Library services
The building of the old Massey Library and now it has been re-purposed.

Te Manawa inherits the library services of Massey Library. It is a part (one of 55 branches) of the wider family of Auckland Libraries, which has extensive collections of books, e-books, newspapers, magazines and online resources, even free movie streaming. There are designated places for its fiction, non-fiction, children's and teen's collections at Te Manawa. Te Manawa's community language collections include Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Pacific Island languages, such as Fijian, Samoan. There are 8 PCs available for customers to use for free; whereas, Wi-fi connection is available for everyone regardless of having a library membership or not. Te Manawa has a designated study space allowing customers to sit down and study quietly.

Back in 2010, then Waitakere City Council noticed that Northwest Auckland was growing so fast that the Massey Library was unable to meet future demand. A proposal to build a new three times larger library plus town square and bus interchange was put on table. [17] Massey Library was permanently closed on Thursday, 21 March 2019 shortly before the soft launch of Te Manawa.

Programmes and events

Te Manawa has a varied programme of free events and classes, including Wiggle and Rhyme, learning 3D printing, trying out a recording studio, and improving conversational English. Te Manawa also has a team dedicated to Programme and Outreach.[18]

Council Services

Te Manawa provides a good range of community services. At this stage, local residents can pay their Council rates, register a dog and make general Auckland Council service inquiries under one roof and served by the same team.[19] Te Manawa expects to further expand the council services, such as building consent submission, in the future.

Community venue hire

Te Manawa has auditoriums, meeting rooms as well as a commercial kitchen for community use with a small charge.[20] The combined auditoriums can accommodate up to 200 people. AV Suite and Studio 2 were made available for public use since July 2020. AV Suite is fitted with audio equipment and is best suited for recording and editing purposes. Both AV Suite and Studio 2 are fitted with sound dampened walls and windows to improve sound quality.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is located on Level 2. To make "a positive social change" is what CAB works for. CAB provides free, confidential, independent information and advice to all people. CAB helps the public to identify their civil rights and to get access relevant services they need. [21] The Justice of the Peace (JP) service is a part of CAB services. JP service is available between 1:00pm and 3:00pm from Monday to Friday. [22]

References
  1. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  2. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  3. "Auckland Council to close libraries, pools, recreation centres and major venues". Our Auckland, Auckland Council. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  4. "Libraries and fitness centres to reopen". Our Auckland, Auckland Council. Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  5. "2020 Auckland Architecture Awards Winner: Te Manawa Westgate Library and Multi-Purpose Facility". New Zealand Institute of Architects. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  6. "Winner revealed: Auckland Architecture Award". Architecture Now. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  7. "Te Manawa – Westgate Library and Multi-Purpose Facility". Warren and Mahoney. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  8. "Te Manawa – Westgate Library and Multi-Purpose Facility". Warren and Mahoney. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  9. "Finalists revealed: 2019 Interior Awards". Architecture Now. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  10. "Te Manawa community facility wins architecture award". OurAuckland. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  11. "Manawa". Te Aka Online Māori Dictionary. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  12. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  13. "Whare Tapere". Te Aka Online Maori Dictionary. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  14. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  15. "Te Whare Tapere – Children's space". Rawstorne Studio. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  16. "purerehua - Māori Dictionary". maoridictionary.co.nz. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  17. "Bigger library part of new town centre". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  18. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  19. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  20. "Te Manawa – Community Hub and Citizen-lead Space". Libraries Aoteraroa. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  21. "What we do - Ā mātau mahi". Citizens Advice Bureau. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  22. "Justice of the Peace Massey, Auckland". Auckland Justice of the Peace Association. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
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