The Green Library and Innovation Centre

Generously supported by a St Andrew's College family, the Green family, and designed by Tony Hoare of Wilke & Bruce Architects, this cleverly designed space encourages new ways of thinking. Led by Information and Innovation Manager, Mr Wilj Dekkers, it combines the best of the past, honouring the traditional place of books along with new exciting technologies, and opens our minds to new possibilities. The traditional cutting of the opening ribbon was even executed by a robot!

After the opening, groups of students enjoyed sharing their learning with the guests. These included; virtual reality app designed for children with autism, art design using a Surface Studio, fabric technology demonstrating experimentation with 3D printing techniques, Minecraft Education Edition used by students to redesign the Christchurch Cathedral and Cathedral Square and a building design programme using Lego Software. 

A cleverly crafted poem written by our writer in residence, Kerrin P Sharpe, also suggested how libraries and innovative thinking may address future environmental and societal problems.

Kakariki Twins

This sister whare matauranga
is a pataka of books.
The mistress of reading,
who grew her roof, her walls,
her foundations from the earth.

This brother whare auaha
meanders between land and sea
and carves solutions
from many floating ideas.

She braids her hair, with shingle
from the Rakaia River.
He braids his hair, with shingle
from the Rangitata River.

She's the one who carries
clear water to farms
and coaxes wrybills,
terns, gulls, dotterels
back to their wetlands.

He's the one who thinks
about the double helix
of water, the technology
of the natural bridge.

Like woven threads
they construct rafts together
and lower water levels.

Whare matauranga plants
saplings beside Strowan Stream
and dreams in green.

Whare auaha swims
inside the sky
and knows no limits.

These twins, green and innovative,
cradle the St Andrew's hapii
beyond Moana-nui-a-kiwa.

Kerrin P. Sharpe
April 2018