Design Trend: Room to Connect

Trends in meeting and reading rooms suggest attention to shifts in remote and hybrid work environments. Built-in shelves, long wooden tables with integrated lighting, and classic wooden chairs make a comeback with contemporary twists. 
 

The Jefferson Market Branch, New York Public Library, uses large-format print-based imagery to enliven a traditional reading room featuring classic stained glass. CREDITS: WXY + architecture + urban design, architect; Jonathan Blanc, NYPL, photo

Arches and warm wood beams at the Belvedere Tiburon Library, Tiburon, CA, nod to the architectural style of the area’s 19th-century railroad yard history. CREDITS: EHDD Architecture and Brown Reynolds Watford Architects, Inc., architects; Joey Della Santina, photo

The $46 million Round Rock Public Library, TX, creates an elegant meeting room atmosphere for the community. CREDITS: PGAL, 720 Design, architects; Tarick Fotech, photo

A pop of color and modern wood paneling make for an inviting meeting space at the Bremen Public Library, IN. CREDITS: Arkos Design, Inc., architect; Todd Loughman, photo

The reading room in the Roy O. West Library, DePauw University, Greencastle, IN, offers abundant light and contemporary chandeliers; tufted club chairs offset rows of modern reading tables. CREDITS: RATIO Design, architect; Joel Bottom, photo