This option would involve demolishing the existing building to put a new one on the same site. The new building would be designed to the highest level of seismic safety and resilience ensuring peoples safety and full service continuity after an earthquake. A new build provides the greatest opportunity to design the space as a library and community space for the long term.

Key elements of this option are:

• High level of seismic safety and resilience
• Designed to incorporate best practice sustainability and accessibility standards and respond to long-term climate change concerns
• Opportunity to create different connections to Te Ngākau Civic Precinct and surrounding areas
• Opportunity to reimagine and design a multipurpose Central Library and civic and community facility for current and future users.

The new build estimates do not include base isolation as the desired level of building resilience can be achieved in a new build without it. However if the decision was made to base isolate a new building the additional cost would not be significant.

The cost estimates for the new build option do include estimated demolition and removal costs.

Above: Young adults collection at Johnsonville Library in Waitohi

Photograph: Matt Paterson

Above image: Photography exhibition by John B Turner, at Johnsonville Library in Waitohi

Photograph: Matt Paterson