2 / New Zealand TURANGA

Danish architecture firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen teamed up with local company Architectus to design this Christchurch library as the latest symbol of the city’s post-quake rebirth. The building’s golden aluminum facade recalls the triangular blades of native harakeke flax and the topography of the nearby Port Hills, while roof terraces point toward significant Maori sites. On the ground floor, a seven-meter touchscreen wall offers insights into local history; the upper stories hold 180,000 books, a 200-seat community hall, and two studios for music and video production.