Newspaper Article 1993 – Mission look for library

Mission look for library

Works Consultancy Services has won the task of designing a $1.6-million addition to the Hastings library.

The company won the contract ahead of six other architectural firms, with a concept design based on the Spanish Mission style of architecture.

A committee of council staff will get together with Works Consultancy now to sort out final designs.

The company’s concept design incorporated 4 mezzanine floor, which worried some councillors but intrigued others.

The design was one of three chosen by the city’s librarians as the most functional of those suggested. The other two were by Flynn Weston Architects and Holland and Jack Architects Lid.

The Works Consultancy design drew the approval of 12 per cent of library users who offered opinions on the seven designs put forward.

Their most popular choice was a design by Hoogerbrug Architects, followed by Gardiner Prebenson [Prebensen] Architects Lid, then Flynn Weston Architects.

Councillors spent two hours debating the merits of each design, narrowing the field to three, then two.

The Works Consultancy design won the final vote by eight to three over the Holland and Jack design.

Pictured: An artist’s impression of the library addition, above, and a floor plan, left.