Research

A symmetrical courtyard with a central statue and fountain, surrounded by neatly trimmed trees, leads to a yellow two-story building with arched windows, a clock, and a gabled roof under a partly cloudy sky.

Biblioteca dell’Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio

Thanks to a generous donor, this palace once welcomed the sick and the poor and now hosts a major research library.
A symmetrical stone building with classical architectural features with a triangular roof line flanked by two turrets topped with decorative urns. It has tall windows and a wooden door and is surrounded by trees and a neatly trimmed hedge in the foreground.

Bibliothèque Solvay, Bruxelles

Once a neglected relic, now a carefully restored prize that's hard to get to, Brussel's Bibliothèque Solvay is an enigmatic jewel.
Interior of a library looking down from a mezzanine. The library has rows of bookshelves that end in a semicircular stone column. There are windows to the left, separated by half columns recalling those of the bookshelves.

RIBA Library, London

Named after Sir Banister Fletcher, the library of the Royal Institute of British Architects is among the world's largest dedicated to architecture.
Interior of a contemporary library. It is a symmetrical room surrounded by a mezzanine and with large work tables in the middle. A person is standing at the back.

Bibliothèque du Centre Canadien d’Architecture, Montréal

Combining modern elements with a respect for classical proportions, the design of the Canadian Centre for Architecture reflects its mission as an universal archive of the art.
Interior of a library in a converted chapel, wide-angle image of a reading room and librarian's workspace, with low metal shelves and cabinets, tables, and card catalogues. The vaulted ceiling is white with golden details.

Bibliothèque historique du Séminaire de Québec

Spanning four centuries of learning inside a former 19th century chapel, the library of the Québec Seminary is the keeper of a rich encyclopedic collection as old as the city itself.
Interior of a modern library with a mezzanine in the centre and light wells illuminating the periphery.

Baubibliothek ETH Zürich

The ETH Zürich's architecture library on the Hönggerberg is a mecca for architecture lovers in Switzerland and abroad.
Interior of a large neoclassical chapel. The main part of the room is used as a meeting space, with movable chairs, while the front is closed off by a glass wall and contains a library.

Bibliothèque de la Compagnie de Jésus, Montréal

Long hidden behind drab ceiling tiles, the unveiling of the former chapel at Collège Jean-de-Brébeuf in Montréal in 2004 also marked the renaissance of one of the oldest libraries on the continent.