476-482 Main Street - The Square Centre, former Public Library
- Description
The Borough Council bought this site in 1889. The present building was designed by James Walker and Lloyd C. Love, built by L. McMillan & Co. Ltd. at a cost of £300,000, and was opened on 4 November 1965.
The building’s exterior was designed to be as maintenance-free as possible. Eighteen unique stainless steel solar screens covered the Main Street frontage until 2011. Designed to admit maximum light, they also blocked the sun’s glare and heat. Adjustable aluminium louvers shielded the Square frontage. The terrazzo panelling on the building’s exterior consisted of polished marble aggregate, with golden brown aggregate on the ground floor exterior walls being Italian rumble marble. The main double staircase and the water feature beneath it also incorporated these materials.
Significant refurbishment in 2011 included removing the exterior screens, and the installation of tinted, double-glazed windows on the upper floors. Later additional windows were installed in the wall overlooking the Square.
Tautuhi
- Momo rauemi
- Image
- Pākanga
- IMCA Digital Archive
- Date
- June 2020
- Tautuhi matihiko
- 2020BD_IMCA-DigitalMaster_031925
- Momo rauemi
- Born Digital