Libraries Archives - Metropolis

Projects

Hacker Architects Brings a Brutalist Public Library into the 21st Century

In Salem, Oregon, designers and residents came together to save the Salem Public Library, a concrete and glass structure designed by George Rockrise and Donald Richardson in 1970.

Projects

Leers Weinzapfel Associates Renovates a Space Age Library in Boston

Built in 1961, the Roslindale branch of the Boston Public Library just received a $11.7 million renovation by the Boston-based firm.

Projects

Staten Island’s Newest Public Library Boasts Net-Zero Credentials

Led by ikon.5 architects, the Charleston Library includes a suite of sustainability features that surpasses its citywide peers.

Projects

Hacker Architects Is Rethinking How Libraries Serve People

In a suburb of Portland, Oregon, the Ledding Library not only lends books, but also objects such as weed-whackers and air fryers.

Projects

This Library by Atelier Xi Celebrates Past and Present

A series of small concrete pavilions revitalizes isolated communities in China’s Henan province.

Projects

At This Bookstore in Wuhan, China, Light Represents Knowledge and Emotion

The first of nine case studies on lighting strategies across global interiors, the Hubei Foreign Language Bookstore considers light's symbolic nature.

Projects

This Bookless Library Devotes an Entire Building to Makerspaces

Designed by Toronto-based RDH Architects (RDHA) and located in Cambridge, Ontario, the library sits within a limestone building originally constructed in 1885.

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Projects

Helsinki’s Poetic New Central Library Is a Public Space for the Digital Age

The new library, dubbed Oodi and designed by ALA Architects, provides democratic and state-of-the-art facilities for learning, making, playing, and reading.

Projects

In Toronto’s Dire Suburbs, This “Joyful” Public Library Makes a Difference

The new Perkins + Will-designed Albion District Library humbly responds to its challenging suburban context, putting accessibility and community-building first.

Projects

Paris’ Richelieu Complex Re-Opens After Stunning Renovation

The renovation of the French national library’s Richelieu complex has brought a new dynamism to the library, while preserving and protecting the best of its historical features.

Projects

A Library That Caters to Every Kind of Study Habit

A new library at Williams College is flexible enough to fit rapidly evolving collections, technologies, and student study habits.

Projects

With Cornell University’s Planned Ho Fine Arts Library, the Stacks are Center Stage

Cornell University's planned Ho Fine Arts Library will feature a technology-driven design that hopes to balance digital databases with the printed word.