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8 most beautiful new libraries in the world

The 8 most beautiful new libraries in the world
The 8 most beautiful new libraries in the world

From Boston to Latvia, here are the winners of this year’s Library Building Awards

Hold onto your reading glasses.

On April 6, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Library Association (ALA) announced this year’s picks for the best new libraries in the world.

The facilities were honoured for their multi-use and environmentally-friendly designs — not to mention their stunning appearance.

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One caveat: While projects could be located anywhere in the world, only architects licensed in the US could enter the competition.

From Boston to Latvia, here are the winners of this year’s Library Building Awards.

The main branch of the Boston Public Library got a serious redesign over the last year.

Architects: William Rawn Associates. Photo: Bruce T Martin.
Architects: William Rawn Associates. Photo: Bruce T Martin.

What was once a “stone bunker,” according to the AIA, is now a light-filled plaza that connects both wings of the library and adjoins a 340-seat auditorium.

Photo: Robert Benson
Photo: Robert Benson

At the nearby East Boston Branch Library, light pours in through the high glass windows. Out front, stormwater can collect to nourish the newly-planted rain garden.