Thibaud Poirier | Palaces of Self-Discovery: A Series on Libraries

You love libraries, and there are some good ones in Europe. These cathedral-like spaces, as Photographer Thibaud Poirier notes, "gather communities" and, like literature, provide "glimpses into the past, present, and future of humanity." Poirier's full series can be viewed here.

 Grimm Zentrum Library, Berlin, 2009

 Trinity College Library, Dublin, 1732

 Bibliothèque de l'Hotel de Ville de Paris, Paris, 1890

 Palàcio Nacional de Mafra, Mafra, 1755

 Biblioteca Casanatense, Rome, 1701

 Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève, Paris, 1850

 Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Salle Labrouste, Paris, 1868

 Bibliothèque de la Sorbonne, Salle Jacqueline de Romilly, Paris, 1897

Stadtbibliothek, Stuttgart, 2011

Kitoko Studio | Maid's Room Renovation

While you're on the topic of cleverly designed, tiny European living spaces, Kitoko Studio's 2014 overhaul of an 86-square-foot (8-square-meter) Parisian maid's room deserves to be mentioned. 

The upper floors of the beautiful Haussman buildings usually accommodated the servants of the people living below and tended to be quite small. In the case of the private residence pictured here, the family wanted to convert the former garret to an independent living space for their au pair. The architects at Kitoko Studio were drawn to the idea of a multifunctional Swiss Army knife; thus, they constructed a large cabinet into which one can enter (for access to bed and bathroom) and from which storage and furnishings can be withdrawn. 

Click images to enlarge and/or watch the video for a more complete tour.

Designer Szymon Hanczar's 140-Square-Foot Apartment

You probably couldn't live in a 140-square-feet (13-square-meters) unless Szymon Hanczar helped you out. The Polish designer managed to fit everything that he needs into his minimal interior design--a lofted bed, kitchenette, bathroom, and storage spaces. 

Photos: DesignMilk

Thomas Phifer | Corning Museum of Glass

The newest addition to the Corning Museum of Glass in Steuben County, New York, was designed by architect Thomas Phifer. The 100,000-square-foot Contemporary Art + Design Wing includes a 26,000-square-foot building dedicated to the presentation of contemporary art in glass. Adjacent to the new gallery, a renovated historic glass factory ventilator building houses a 500-seat theatre for glassmaking demonstrations. The new wing opened to the public on March 20, 2015.

Vittra Telefonplan | Rosan Bosch

In 2011, the Danish architecture studio Rosan Bosch designed Vittra Telefonplan, a free school in Stockholm without traditional classrooms. The open interiors are meant to reflect the school's educational principals, which encourage students to move about and work in leveled groups in five different learning spaces: "the watering hole," "the show-off," "the cave," "the campfire," and "the laboratory." The layout features an array of custom-made furnishings designed to inspire curiosity and facilitate collaboration.

Peter Jungmann | "Ufogel" | Austria

Architect Peter Jungmann designed the minimal 484-square-foot Ufogel, which is located in the Austrian Alps.