The Most Beautiful Libraries Around the World to get lost in
MOST PEOPLE GO to libraries to read or check out books — not stare in awe at the 15th-century wood paneling and stained-glass windows. In many libraries around the world, however, the buildings’ stunning aesthetics are just as appealing as their content, making you almost forget what book you were looking for in the first place. Since libraries are essential to the learning process, it’s no surprise that some of the most impressive libraries are located in universities. While we tend to think the world’s most beautiful libraries belong exclusively to the hallowed grounds of European institutions, the United States and Asia are home to very impressive structures that give Europe a run for its money. From Oxford in England to Akita City in Japan, these are some of the most beautiful libraries around the world.
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Zhongshuge Bookstore – Hangzhou, China
Featured in numerous design and architecture magazines, this sprawling bookstore is famed for its wraparound bookshelves and ingenious use of mirrors. The ceilings are covered with hundreds of mirrored panels, creating the illusion that the shelves are double their actual height, while the far end of the store is covered with even more mirrors so that the outside environment is reflected inwards. Designed to be a futuristic forest of sorts, the display columns are arranged in a way to evoke the sense of towering trees, while zigzagging benches are positioned along the length of the store – much like a creek meandering through the woods.
Wuguan Books – Kaohsiung, Taiwan
First, there was dining in the dark. And now, there’s reading in the dark. With its almost pitch-dark environment and dimly-lit book displays, this bookstore in one of Taiwan’s largest metropolises is a nod to those late nights spent covertly reading under your blanket with a flashlight. With its clever use of mixed lighting elements, the books look as if they are “floating” in the dark. There are 400 bookshelves in the store, each housing just one “floating” book. This is so that shoppers are able to focus on every book as an individual entity, instead of the usual browsing experience of scanning rows and rows of different titles at one go.
Arc.N.Book
How could any certified bibliophile not be attracted to Arc.N.Book’s amazing archway crafted out of books? This beautifully curated bookstore is divided into four themed sections: Daily, Weekend, Style, and Inspiration. Through their unique themes and artful decor, Arc.N.Book hopes to inspire more people to get into reading in a whole new way.
Arc.N.Book is more than just a bookstore — it aims to be a unique cultural space that promotes reading not just as a hobby, but as a lifestyle. The first thing most visitors will notice is their Instagrammable interiors, and that’s perfectly alright. They may come for the decor, but it’s the hope that they’ll stay for the books. (And yes, you will find some English-language books here; this establishment prides itself in its above-average collection of foreign-language titles!)
Musashino Art University Museum & Library, Tokyo, Japan
Like Liyuan Library, this two-storey structure uses wood and glass to perfection. Completed by Sou Fujimoto Architects in 2010 for one of Japan’s most prestigious art universities, the exterior is made of timber shelves and covered with planes of glass. The interior is covered almost entirely by bookshelves, and filled with many rare and valuable works, ranging from 13th century European manuscripts to 20th century artworks.
Sendai Mediatheque, Sendai, Japan
Designed by Japanese architectural icon, Toyo Ito, Sendai Mediatheque is a multi-purpose establishment contained within a cubic glass enclosure, its seven floors seemingly floating above the ground and supported by steel lattices. Besides books on general topics and media, the library has a vast collection of visual and auditory records from DVDs to audition tapes. This collection caters to the visually and hearing-impaired as well. This stunning public facility also houses a children’s library, a gallery, a bookstore, a café, and a theatre.
