Eight striking libraries that are bound to impress
Bibliophiles can take pleasure in looking through Dezeen's pick of the best libraries, including one in the Netherlands that occupies an old locomotive shed, and another in China that resembles an eye.
See below for the full selection:
Tianjin Binhai Public Library, China, by MVRDV
MVRDV constructed the interiors of this public library in Tianjin to look like a huge eye staring out through the building's glass facade – a spherical auditorium forms the pupil, while staggered floor-to-ceiling shelving creates the curved shape of the socket.
The sinuous bookshelves double up as a place where visitors can sit and read, or observe others across the cavernous room.
Find out more about the Tianjin Binhai Public Library ›
LocHal, Netherlands, by Civic Architects
Set inside a former locomotive shed in Tilburg, this library is dominated by towering riveted columns and tall glass windows.
Its vast entrance hall has been arranged much like a city's public square, complete with a coffee kiosk, communal tables, and a broad set of steps where visitors can sit and read or spectate events.
Liyuan Library, China, by Li Xiaodong
The modest Liyuan Library is situated in a small village on the rural outskirts of Beijing, and is designed to be a "setting of quiet contemplation".
Although the building's shell is entirely glazed, hundreds of locally sourced wooden sticks have been layered in front to create inviting interiors that are softly dappled with natural light.
Find out more about the Liyuan Library ›
VAC Library, Vietnam, by Farming Architects
A climbing frame forms this children's library in Hanoi, with box seats and bookshelves slotted amongst its grid of wooden beams.
Adjacent to the structure lie a couple of chicken cages and an aquaponic pond filled with koi fish that's intended to help young visitors learn about self-sustaining ecosystems.
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New Central Library, Canada, by Snøhetta and Dialog
Spanning 22,300 square-metres, Calgary's central library was designed as a home for the city's extensive literature collection and a space for large-scale public events.
While the building's white exterior is meant to resemble ice crystals, inside it features a huge eye-shaped atrium that's almost entirely lined with warm-hued slats of hemlock wood.
Find out more about the New Central Library ›
Maya Somaiya Library, India, by Sameep Padora
An undulating brick roof arcs over the main reading room of this children's library in Kopargaon, which can hold up to 22,00 books.
The space is illuminated by concertina glazed walls that are slightly set back from the edge of the overhanging roof, providing shade to visiting young readers.
Find out more about the Maya Somaiya Library ›
La Ciudadela, Mexico, by Taller 6A
This library occupies the corridor of an 18th-century building in Mexico City, that was previously a prison, weapons factory, and military headquarters.
Hollow wooden boxes of different sizes have been installed across the walls, ceiling and floor. Whilst the majority are used to store books, a handful are backlit to form eye-catching display niches.
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Sissi's Wonderland, China, by Muxin Studio
Designed to be like a "giant toy", this children's library in Shanghai features a series of arched windows and vaulted doorways that lead through to cosy wood-lined reading nooks.
At the centre of the curvilinear space is a small play-area with grass-like carpeting. The ceiling above has been painted black so that when the spotlights are switched on, it appears to be a starry night sky.
Find out more about Sissi's Wonderland ›