Design

At LJ’s 2022 Design Institute in Missoula, MT held at the Missoula Public Library on September 29, five libraries in Idaho, Montana, Minnesota, Oregon, and California enlisted architects and attendees to brainstorm on upcoming library design challenges.

The data for new academic library buildings and renovations featured in LJ's Year in Architecture 2022.

The data for new public library buildings and renovations featured in LJ's Year in Architecture 2022.

LJ's Years in Architecture compared: FY17–22 Cost Summaries and Funding Sources.

Furniture echoes architectural elements; places of refuge get playful, and more of the year’s top library design trends. It’s all about flow. Rooms within rooms, nooks, delightful retreats for all ages are designed to seamlessly transition spaces from one function to another in this year’s round up of library renovations and new buildings. While we still see the subdued natural color palettes of last year’s trendsetters, color continues to play a meaningful role in these libraries.

A listing of the architects whose work is featured in Year in Architecture 2022.

Furniture echoes architectural elements; places of refuge get playful, and more of the year’s top library design trends.

Across many library spaces and settings, furnishings, finishes, and fixtures are tightly coordinated, both in shape and in style, to create a cohesive, seamless experience between more public and more private areas in the library. 

Shelving design continues to evolve to support the visual narrative and personality of library spaces, from whimsical interactive shelves with cubby holes and twists and turns to shelves that offer integrated seating, display, and collections.