After seven years of closure, Wellington’s Central Library, Te Matapihi ki te Ao Nui, has reopened, featuring design excellence from the country’s leading partners, and bespoke acoustics from Autex.
Under construction since March 2019 due to earthquake safety concerns, the library’s major redesign improved infrastructure, while revitalising Wellington city in a way that prioritises environmental responsibility and community connection. Delivered in collaboration with Wellington City Council, Tihei Design, Athfield Architects, a wide range of partners, and mana whenua, Autex played a key role in shaping the library’s acoustics.
As a New Zealand producer of modern acoustic panels and insulation products, Autex was approached in 2025 to ensure the acoustics were seamlessly integrated into the library’s interior design. Working closely with key partners to understand the needs of the build and community, Autex created custom-designed acoustic panels based on its Cube and Horizon ranges, featuring imagery of flora and fauna, echoing the design kaupapa.
“Our team was incredibly proud to contribute to the revival of such an iconic Wellington landmark,” Autex creative director Jonathan Mountfort says.
“A library is a delicate ecosystem of sound, and it needs to accommodate everything from silent, deep-focus study to community storytelling. It’s also meaningful to bring our kaupapa of circularity into the space, knowing that the panels used are made from a minimum of 80% recycled fibre, and are carbon neutral. It’s strengthening the environmental legacy for the next generation to come,” he says.
The redesign, led by Athfield Architects in association with Tihei, was guided by structural principals, increasing visitor circulation, and contact with the collection. A big focus was also on the interior concept of Te Taiao (the wonder and awe of the natural environment), with specific reference to the flora and fauna of the forest floor, which flourished for centuries along Wellington’s waterfront.
“It was rare for us to be entrusted to work on what is the country’s youngest building, and a Category 1 heritage building, especially when you can also remember the original opening day and the huge impact it had on the city at that time,” Athfield Architects principal Zac Athfield says.
“The concept of Te Taiao has allowed us to explore a contextual design language, the natural world that connects us to the land, and relation to culture,” Athfield Architects associate Jaime Lawrence says.
“They’re textures and materials that invite, sometimes challenge thought, but also inspire imagination and play.”
Tihei director,Rangi Kipa says by weaving the guiding principles of the natural world into the space, they sought to centre Te Taiao as the principal theme for Te Matapihi Ki Te Ao Nui.
“This promotes the idea that the humans-environment relationship is the most fundamental platform of enlightenment and discovery, encouraging a more intimate relationship to the wildlife and greenery of our own lands,” Kipa says.
The redesign was actively working towards a New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) 5-star rating, aligning with Wellington’s broader ambition to become a zero-carbon city by 2050.
The public was invited to explore the revived space on March 14 and 15, where they experienced the many things that bring the library to life, including:
• more than 250,000 books on display,
• the Central Library services and City Archives,
• Noku te Ao Capital E — services for young people to grow their creativity, and
• special collections including Wellington’s taonga, mana whenua and subsequent settler communities’ heritage.
