The Dunedin City Council unveiled the exterior design for the new library and community complex in King Edward St which demonstrated a plan that depicted a large tuna (eel) snaking around the street-front.
Mana whenua-owned organisation Aukaha and local architects Baker Garden collaborated on the design which aims to acknowledge the history and culture of South Dunedin.
Aukaha’s mana whenua panellist Dr Megan Potiki said the area was once estuarine, abundant with shellfish, fish, birds and particularly tuna, and was where tuna was harvested.
"South Dunedin’s original name is Kaituna.
"[They] were an incredibly important food source for our ancestors, and Kaituna was a location where they did that."
Renowned artists Ephraim Russell (Kāi Tahu) and Michael Tuffery (Samoa, Rarotonga, Ma’ohi Tahiti) worked with Aukaha on the exterior designs that wrap around the building.
"Working with Michael Tuffery has enabled us to draw on Pasifika art and reflect the whanaukataka (familial ties) within our South Pacific cultures."
The design collaboration is set to continue with the interior and plans were being progressed to embed the local stories.
Community feedback undertaken by Aukaha was undertaken at South Dunedin Festival and the Moananui Festival, and where possible was directly incorporated into the design.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said he was delighted with the cultural narrative underpinning the design.
"The new library and community complex is a great example of the council working with the community and mana whenua. I am proud to see this unique collaboration coming into fruition."
The project was on track to open mid-2025 at a cost of around $22 million.
