A well-designed library is not just appealing to the eye, but it must also be a place where people want to gather to discover new things about their world and their community. That benchmark is more difficult to achieve than you’d think when your library is outdated, under maintained, or nowhere near you. That’s why each year the American Institute of Architects honors the places that succeed in this through the Library Building Awards. The 2016 recipients had some ambitious designs, from bridging a river to an eight-story tribute to ancient Greece. Check them out below or, if you’re nearby, visit in person!
Billings Public Library (Billings, Montana)
Images courtesy of Will Bruder Architects
Billings only has one public library to serve its more than 100,000 residents, so it’s a great fortune that they are able to use this one. The building was inspired by local features that are uniquely Montana: rocky ridges, settlers’ compact shacks, and the expansiveness of the sky. The architects said that they wanted to make “a warm and inviting pavilion of public purpose” for the people whose only outlet to read books might be this library.
Chicago Public Library, Chinatown Branch (Chicago, Illinois)
Images courtesy of John Miller/Hedrich Blessing
Chicago’s Chinatown is one of the oldest settlements for people of Chinese descent in the United States. Reflecting this, the community’s library was designed with feng shui principles and planned out much like a traditional Chinese courtyard, with all the rooms connecting to the central space through which all the visitors pass. Positioned between two sides of the neighborhood, the circular new library intends to be an inclusive place for everyone who needs the space.
Hennepin County Walker Library (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Images courtesy of VJAA
Minneapolis’ Hennepin Avenue has its own distinct style, so when it came time for a new library it needed one that “plays well with others.” The result is this sharp, sleek, stainless-steel-and-glass library which matches the simple, low-rise building fronts that run all along the nearby street. The new design has become an integrated part of an active thoroughfare: part restaurants, part old-school theatre, and now, part library.
Lawrence Public Library (Lawrence, Kansas)
Images courtesy of Tim Griffith and Mike Sinclair
From the photos, it’s hard to imagine this luscious modern construction was renovated from bulky concrete block from the ’70s. The renovation took a lightless, under-attended repository into the epicenter of activity featuring an amphitheater, a grassy knoll, and access to a nearby community pool. Not only did the touch-up bring life to the building, it impacted the kids, too: since its opening, children attending youth programs at the library has gone up by 160 percent.
Renton Public Library (Renton, Washington)
Images courtesy of Lara Swimmer
Renton’s public library has been transformed from an inefficient, falling-apart landmark to a revitalized, state-of-the-art community resource. The steel bridge-like structure is a nod to the area’s long history of engineering, and gives readers a full view of the thriving river that it straddles. It also doubles as an easy connection between the town and a local park, encouraging more passersby to visit the library.
Ryerson University Student Learning Centre (Toronto, Ontario)
Images courtesy of Snøhetta
Prior to its new library’s opening in March, Ryerson University did not have much to distinguish itself from the streets of Toronto. This eight-story giant has made the campus fully stand out from the rest of the city. Inspired by the ancient Greek gathering places of Agoras and Stoas, the blue-glass beauty both a space to read and a place to meet, and has since become a landmark for the campus and for Toronto.
Sawyer Library (Williamstown, Massachusetts)
Images courtesy of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
The newest addition to Williams College has all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a university library: spacious reading rooms, small gallery areas, and endless hallways of books. But what makes this library stand out is how the building smoothly assimilates its forward-thinking design with a traditional space that houses original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. The old and new combine into one space, where students can work beneath a panoramic view of the Berkshire Mountains.