An unusual mix of program, the library and hotel were much needed amenities for the district of Ponsonby. As an up and coming urban hub, new public facilities were required to contend with an increasing population. The library follows an experimental layout where books and bookshelves occupy the outside ring of the building while reading spaces are placed in the inner ring, overlooking a central public courtyard. The building is formed to receive maximum daylighting from the north and the southern facade is treated with an undulating form that pedestrians can interact with in a tactile fashion, perhaps stopping long enough to see what is happening inside.

The hotel faces the main street of Ponsonby, meeting street level with a small cafe and individual modular rooms above. The long rooms have a single window facing north-east where it can receive natural light and generous views of the Auckland CBD.