25. Fisher Fine Arts Library, University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia,Pennsylvania
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Victorian-eraAmerican architect Frank Furness was responsible for the design of theUniversity of Pennsylvania’s stunning Fisher Fine Arts Library, which was completed in 1890 and wasbuilt in the Venetian Gothic style. Its smart red brick exterior recalls thelook of Philadelphia factories of the period. Meanwhile, a touch of literaryflair is added through the Shakespeare inscriptions in the windows, which wereselected by Furness’ brother, a distinguished scholar of the Bard’s work. Thebuilding has received praise from none other than acclaimed architect FrankLloyd Wright, who described it as “the work of an artist.” It is now a NationalHistoric Landmark.
24. Strahov Monastery Library – Prague, Czech Republic
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Anyone whowishes to consult the Bible when in Prague should head to the Strahov Monastery. Its magnificent Theological Hall ishome to thousands of editions of the holy book. Moreover, the library hall’sglorious stuccowork makes the space a real head-turner. It was completed in1679, with the nearby Philosophical Hall – which was constructed to house booksfrom the Louka Convent in South Moravia – joining it around a hundred yearslater. After communists seized the abbey in 1950, it became the Memorial toNational Literature, although the library, along with other parts of thecomplex, was renewed and restored following the Velvet Revolution.
23. Braunschweig University of Art Library – Braunschweig, Germany
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The stunning,glass-fronted cube that houses the Braunschweig University of Art’slibrary shows what can be done with a bit of recycling and a lot of ingenuity.Completed in 2002, the structure took materials from the Mexican pavilion atthe Expo 2000 World’s Fair, which was staged in the German city of Hanover. Thepavilion’s creator, AIA Gold Medal-winning Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta,worked in conjunction with the Braunschweig branch of KSP Engel &Zimmermann (now KSP Jürgen Engel) to design the building, which alsocontains a red cube inside – tilted in relation to the exterior sheath – thataccommodates its books.
22.Philological Library, Free University of Berlin – Berlin, Germany
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The Faculty of Philology library at Berlin’s Free University isarguably at its most attractive by night, when interior lighting glows throughits transparent partitions to create a checkerboard effect. This four-storystructure is the brainchild of world-famous global firm Foster + Partners. The architects’ bulbous, aluminumand glazed-panel creation encourages light-imbued spaces – ideal for study –through the sinuous layout of its floors, which subside or expand in relationto the area above. The distinctive shape of the library, which was completed in2005, has inspired its nickname: apparently, some call it “the Berlin brain.”
21. EdithCowan University Library and Resources Building – Joondalup, Australia
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The striking Library and Resources Building at Western Australia’s Edith CowanUniversity was intended to be a home away from home. Its architects,Perth-based Jones Coulter Young, have explained the premise of the design, saying,“Everyone studies differently, and if the most comfortable way to study is athome with a laptop, a coffee, a friend and a snack, why shouldn’t that bepossible here?” To this end, the building – completed in 2006 – contains acoffee shop and what the designers term a “research and learning lounge,”complete with beanbags and ottomans. Elsewhere, the white and yellow louvers ofthe exterior not only contribute to the library’s unique aesthetic, but also inpart act as a sunscreen.
20. KansasCity Central Library – Kansas City, Missouri
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The enormousbookshelf that makes up part of the Kansas CityCentral Library was the brainchild of architects CDFM2 – now nationalfirm 360 Architecture. The feature acts as a major focal point of the buildingas well as providing a big clue as to what’s inside. Named the “CommunityBookshelf,” it skirts the south side of the library’s parking lot, and its 22titles – constructed from signboard mylar and standing some 25 feet tall – weresuggested by avid local bookworms. Two of its volumes even offer a nod to thearea’s history. The Community Bookshelf was completed in 2004, the same yearthe Central Library found its current home.
19. St.Florian Monastery Library – Sankt Florian, Austria
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Gorgeousaesthetics – including a breathtaking ceiling fresco – and towering stacks ofbooks make entering the main library hall at St. Florian Monastery in Sankt Florian, Austria a treat for any bibliophile,or indeed anyone who appreciates attractive Baroque architecture. Austrianarchitects Jakob Prandtauer and Johann Gotthard Hayberger were responsible forthe design of the library, which was completed in 1750. A significant portionof its 150,000-volume collection dates back to before the 19th century. Andmany of the titles inside are even older than the facility that houses them,with almost 1,000 “incunables” – items printed in Europe prior to 1501.Although the library is open to the public, given the antiquity of much of itscontents, it’s understandable that it is a reference-only facility.
18. HalmstadCity Library – Halmstad, Sweden
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Nature was a keyinspiration for the sleek City Library in Halmstad, Sweden, as Copenhagen-basedarchitects schmidthammer lassen designed what is fundamentally a unique open area thatinteracts with the surrounding foliage. Completed in 2006, its columns areintended to visually communicate with the nearby trees, with the atrium curvingaround a sizable chestnut on the site. The library’s transparent glass andconcrete façade allows visitors a glimpse at its facilities, which include acafé and exhibition space. Meanwhile, its grass roof adds to the verdure butalso acts as eco-friendly insulation while minimizing drainage needs.
17.Stuttgart City Library – Stuttgart, Germany
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Köln,Germany-based Yi Architects’ design for Stuttgart’s City Library is an awe-inspiring exercise inminimalism. What it lacks in gilded pillars and intricate ceiling frescos, itmore than makes up for with gleaming, pristine surfaces and staircases – aswell as airy, light spaces. It harks back to days gone by with a design thattakes its influence from the Pantheon in Rome. And the bright white “heart” ofthe building – a multi-floor meeting area – has a linearity that harmonizeswith the grid effect created by the many apertures in the cubic exterior. Thelibrary was opened to the public in 2011.
16. Tama ArtUniversity Library – Tokyo, Japan
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In 2007 theTokyo architecture world was privy to a spectacular new addition in the form ofthe library for Tama Art University, designed by local architects Toyo Ito & Associates. Its signature concrete and steelarches were haphazardly positioned but are there for good reason: in additionto providing the structure with its arresting appearance, they aim to give thesense that the slanted floor and front garden continue right into the building.Students can browse books or study beneath the arches, enjoy music or movies inthe “temporary theater,” and even take shelter and read magazines while waitingfor the bus that stops outside.
15.Vasconcelos Library – Mexico City, Mexico
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Inaugurated in2006, Mexico City’s VasconcelosLibrary was designed by local architect Alberto Kalach in part to “[reorganize] availablehuman knowledge” – and the result is astounding. Stacks of stark shelving gracethe 409,000-square-foot “megalibrary,” slicing it into neat sections, and whatwas once a desolate swath of the city has been transformed into a sleek templeof learning. As well as being integrated with a botanical garden, the facilityacts as a showcase for the work of some of Mexico’s artists, among them GabrielOrozco’s Ballena, which sits in the main lobby. The sculpture is madefrom a whale skeleton found on a reserve, and according to Orozco, it wasinspired by the building itself.
14. James B.Hunt Jr. Library, North Carolina State University – Raleigh, North Carolina,USA
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Oslo-basedarchitectural firm Snohetta made its mark in Raleigh in early2013 with the opening of North Carolina State University’s James B. Hunt Jr. Library. The designers teamed up with localarchitects Pearce Brinkley Cease & Lee (now merged with Clark Nexsen) todevelop the glimmering wonder, which is arguably as eco-minded as it isattractive. Thirty-one percent of the materials used in the library’sconstruction are recycled in origin, lighting is natural or solar energy based,and the majority of the timber was taken from sustainable forests. Both thefacility’s green features and design have wowed industry insiders, and thestriking structure was honored with an American Institute ofArchitects/American Library Association Library Building Award in 2013.
13. StateLibrary of New South Wales – Sydney, Australia
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The public State Library of New South Wales holds the honor of being the oldestinstitution of its kind in Australia. It was originally established as theAustralian Subscription Library in 1826, but it wasn’t until 1942 that itspermanent home was ready. Designed in a Classical style by Sydney architectWalter Liberty Vernon and completed in 1910, the magnificent sandstone MitchellWing is one of the architectural highlights. Its main reading room has tallbookshelves around its perimeter and skylights that flood the space in light.The library also acts as a cultural pinnacle, for it houses an exceptionalarray of Australiana donated to New South Wales’ citizens by the facility’snamesake, collector David Scott Mitchell.
12.Bibliotheca Alexandrina – Alexandra, Egypt
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While the fabledRoyal Library of Alexandria may have been destroyed hundreds of years ago, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, inaugurated in 2002, aims torekindle some of its scholarly spirit. Norwegian architects Snohetta’s cascading 11-level design gives the library room foreight million books, as well as four museums, the same number of art galleries,and even a planetarium. The gray Aswan granite walls are etched with 120different scripts to pay tribute to the richness of human language, while thereading room is situated under a stunning glass roof – which is angled towardsthe ocean and measures almost 525 feet across.
11. SeattleCentral Library – Seattle, Washington, USA
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Seattle Central Library’s distinctive and gleaming geometricdesign ensures that it stands out in the Pacific Northwestern city. ArchitectRem Koolhaas is one of the names attached to its design. Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) and local firm LMN Architects sought to envelop the 11-story building with “acontinuous layer of transparency,” which was orchestrated using a skin of glassand metal. The finished article houses an estimated 1.45 million tomes andother items, as well as more than 400 computers available for public usage. Thebuilding, which opened in 2004, won praise from The New Yorker, whichdeclared it “exhilarating,” and was also included on the AmericanInstitute of Architects’ list of America’s 150 favorite structures back in2007.
10. MafraNational Palace Library – Mafra, Portugal
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The library atPortugal’s Mafra National Palace, as well as the rest of the amazing Baroque/Neoclassicalcomplex, might never have existed – as King John V promised only to build it ifhis wife bore him children. Fortunately, she did and, true to the king’s word,Mafra National Palace was completed by 1730. More than 35,000 leather-boundvolumes – some over 500 years old – line the walls of the lovely Rococolibrary, which was designed by Portuguese architect Manuel Caetano de Sousa.Interesting, these tomes are preserved by bats, which are let out at night tofeed on insects that might put the library’s treasures in jeopardy.
9. Joe andRika Mansueto Library, University of Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, USA
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The Universityof Chicago’s Joe and Rika Mansueto Library has been given the nickname “TheEgg,” owing in part to its distinctive oval shape. Local architectural firm Murphy/Jahn came up with an innovative solution to fitting thelibrary into an already crowded campus: it plunges 55 feet underground. There’sspace for 3.5 million volumes inside the library, with one million of themcontained in metal bins and archival racks as part of the facility’sstate-of-the-art automated retrieval system. Meanwhile, thanks to the domedtransparent glass roof, light streams through to the reading room, yet solarheat and excessive UV rays are kept largely at bay.
8. MelkAbbey Library – Melk, Austria
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The library at Melk Abbey in Austria was paid tribute to byUmberto Eco in the author’s famous murder mystery novel The Name of the Rose,and given the immense beauty of the place, it’s perhaps easy to see how itcould have inspired such an honor. Chief among its prettiest features is theornate, richly colored ceiling fresco by Austrian painter Paul Troger that representsFaith. Elsewhere, wooden sculptures symbolize the tetrad of faculties,Philosophy, Jurisprudence, Theology and Medicine. Approximately 90,000 volumesare contained within the lovely-looking facility, not to mention many medievalmanuscripts and 850 incunables, making it historically important as well.
7. NationalLibrary of Sejong City – Sejong City, South Korea
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Internationalfirm S.A.M.O.O. Architects & Engineers designed the swooping façade of theNational Library of Sejong City to evoke a book page that has been turned over.Its designers dub the four-story structure with room for over three millionbooks an “e-brary,” to reflect its mix of digital and analog facilities. Yetwhile inside it’s packed with conference and seminar spaces, a dining area andmasses of information, its exterior hasn’t been neglected and featuressculptures, trees and a book-themed park. The innovative library opened itsdoors in late 2013.
6.Handelingenkamer – The Hague, The Netherlands
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TheHandelingenkamer library may belong to the Dutch Parliament, but itseye-catching Renaissance design – courtesy of government building architectC.H. Peters – was actually creatively influenced by the aesthetics of China.This can be seen in its red, green and gold color scheme as well as thedragonheads dotting the walls and the shapes formed by the ironwork. Thelibrary’s distinctive spiral staircase is an attractive way to access the threeupper levels of books. Meanwhile, the leaded glass dome roof imbues theinterior with natural light and helps ensure that whichever of the tens ofthousands of books visitors peruse, they can see and read it with ease duringthe day.
5. Monasteryof San Francisco Library – Lima, Peru
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The Monastery of San Francisco in Lima adds a welcome dash ofbrightness and beauty to the Peruvian capital city. The monastery was finishedin 1774, and although it was significantly damaged in an earthquake that struckin 1970, it remains an eye-catching instance of Spanish Baroque architecture,with an entrance carved of granite that has gone on to impact the design ofother holy buildings. Around 25,000 texts of some vintage can be found in thefamous library here, including a Bible that dates back to around 1571 and acopy of the earliest Spanish dictionary issued by the Royal Spanish Academy.
4.Wiblinglen Abbey Library – Ulm, Germany
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If there’sanything to be taken from this list, it’s that if you want to find a trulystunning library, a visit to a monastery probably won’t disappoint. Even amidsome stiff competition, the facility in the north wing at Germany’s Wiblingen Abbey is perhaps one of the mostspellbinding of its kind in the world. Franz Martin Kühn’s gorgeous ceilingpaintings top a brightly colored, ornately decorated space that was designed byChristian Wiedemann and is deservedly said to be renowned throughout southernGermany for its Rococo style. It was completed in 1744.
3.Mediatheque Sandro Penna – Perugia, Italy
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A glance at the Mediatheque Sandro Penna may lead one to believe that analien craft has crash-landed in the Italian city of Perugia. However, this space-agebuilding, completed in 2004, is actually the work of Milan-based architects Studio Italo Rota. Its pink glass exterior glows at night, and itsnamesake – the Perugia-born poet Sandro Penna – is given a tribute throughexcerpts of his writings that cover the see-through panels of the façade at theentrance. Inside, there’s also a touch of color courtesy of furnishings in thechildren’s area and couches, while sound insulation helps create an environmentperfect for reading and study.
2.Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology Library – Galway, Ireland
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Dublin architectsde Blacam & Meagher used a progressive technique todesign the attention-grabbing building that houses the library at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology in western Ireland, as the dynamicthermal modeling technology employed in its development was still in itsinfancy at the time. The elaborate sails on the exterior aren’t justaesthetically pleasing, but also serve a useful purpose, since they let indaylight while shielding the interior from too much sunshine. This reduces theneed for mechanized climate control systems, cutting expenses and making thelibrary – which contains 600 reader spaces – more eco friendly.
1. AdmontAbbey Library – Admont, Austria
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Situated on theEnns River in southeast Austria, the library of Admont Abbey, constructed in 1776, isbreathtaking in its beauty. Baroque architect Joseph Hueber was tasked withdeveloping the design for the dazzling hall. Resplendent in gold and whitehues, the library is crowned with seven cupolas whose ceiling space is adornedby Bartolomeo Altomonte’s frescos representing different phases of humanknowledge. It is also noteworthy for Joseph Stammel’s “Four Last Things”sculptures, which bring to life depictions of death, heaven, hell and the LastJudgment. Around 70,000 of the monastery’s approximately 200,000 volumes arestored here, and it is the largest library of its kind in the world.
