Adaptive Reuse

Interior of a library in a converted industrial building with exposed brick walls. A central information desk is staffed by a person. Shelves filled with books surround the area. A display with pamphlets is on the right.

Bibliotheek Oog in Al, Utrecht

Through fire and pestilence, from farmer cooperative pride to beloved community centre, the history of the Cereolfabriek is far from over.
A courtyard with a large, three-story industrial-style building in the background with a facade of brick and glazing. The courtyard is paved with concrete tiles, and a blue, tube-like structure is placed in the centre. The sky is clear and sunny.

Tweebronnen Library, Leuven

The transformation of this former technical school by one of the early masters of Modernism questions the balance between preservation and reuse.
A historic building with classical architecture is flanked by modern glass structures on both sides. Snow covers the ground, and a blurred car passes by on the road in front. The scene is illuminated by soft evening light.

Bibliothèque Maisonneuve, Montréal

From visions of grandeur too big for a city budget to a dying star's last breath, the surprising history of the Maisonneuve library is far from over.
Interior of a library inside a Renaissance palazzo, showing a long and narrow reading room with work tables lining both walls. Between large vaulted windows, the walls are decorated with frescoes depicting maps.

PLUS Teilbibliotheken Alte Residenz

In the corridors of Salzburg's Alte Residenz, a heavy iron door opens to a world of rediscovered treasures and secret passages.
Interior of a Beaux-Arts building, a rectangular atrium surrounded by columns and a mezzanine.

Bibliothèque Centrale de Montréal

Born of decades of controversy, Montreal's first French-language public library is now home to a very unusual collection.
Interior of a brick church converted to a library with rows of contemporary bookshelves contrasting with the church interior. Flags are hanging from a curved mezzanine wrapping around the space.

De Petrus Vught

Thanks to a group of volunteers, this 19th century church in the Netherlands was saved from destruction to become the cultural heart of the community.
Interior of an English Neogothic church transformed into a library, viewed through a community room constructed in the former choir. The community room is separated from the nave by a glass partition, through which the library can be seen.

Kentville Library, Nova Scotia

Pews have given way to bookshelves in this former Presbyterian church in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.
Wide-angle exterior shot of a Modernist office block on stilts. A person is walking underneath, next to a sign reading "HEAD Genève".

Bibliothèque HEAD – Genève

Swiss industrial history, morally dubious wartime economics, a revolutionary sewing machine and a prime example of Modernism all converge in the new location of the library for the Geneva school of art and design (HEAD).
Exterior of a Provençal house fronted by a formal garden.

Médiathèque d’Arles

The hospital where Vincent Van Gogh was treated in Arles is now a cultural centre with a library occupying a surprising space.
Interior of a library in a converted wine store with prominent timber rafters. The modern elements are all coloured lime green and contrast sharply with the original timber elements. A woman is climbing a flight of stairs, in front of her is a level full of bookshelves.

Kantonsbibliothek Baselland, Liestal

In 1920, when Louis Roth took over his father Leonhard's business in Liestal near Basel, Switzerland, he took advantage of
Exterior of a modern brick industrial complex.

London Metropolitan Archives

A former print shop in Clerkenwell is now used as the archives of the Corporation of London.
Exterior of a presbytery converted to a library. It is a low, single story stone building with simple pitched roof. It is surrounded by mature trees and a well-kept lawn.

Bibliothèque Luc-Lacourcière, Beaumont

The 18th century presbytery of Beaumont was once a grander building serving as a schoolhouse before being reconstructed as it first stood.
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