Function betrays form, a good servant lives lived and stories told, standing bold on the landscape, proud, modern, a good servant now broken and old.

Mitch has captured a poignant moment in the building’s demolition where the sign for “Burns Wing” hangs on by a single bolt, poised to fall off. These words represent what the building had meant to Mitch. Certainly, the Burns Building had witnessed many lives lived, stories told, and memories made over its lifespan.

This photo was submitted to Living Heritage Tikaka Tuku Iho for the exhibition "Ode to an Icon: The Bold and Brutal of the Burns Building" to celebrate the building's history as it was demolished in 2024. The exhibition was curated by Library staff and held in Waimarie July/August 2024.