Takeo City Library — Japan's Most Beautiful Public Library

Takeo City Library, redesigned by Tsutaya Books and architect Takato Tamagami in 2013, is consistently ranked among Japan's top 10 most beautiful public spaces — a 20-meter-high interior with walnut shelving, a central coffee counter, and 400,000 volumes arranged by subject across open mezzanines. The structure was controversial for combining commercial elements (a Starbucks, a DVD rental section) with public library functions, but the result is a public space that attracts 1 million visitors annually to a city of 48,000 people.