Built on a former parking lot, this stunning modern library, composed of glass boxes stacked artfully on top of each other, was opened in 2014 and has become a much-loved meeting spot for Haligonians. Inside, concrete staircases ascend Escher-like through the central atrium, leading toward a rooftop where there's an excellent cafe and viewing garden.

　　The building was jointly designed by Halifax-based firm FBM (Fowler Bauld Mitchell) and Schmidt Hammer Lassen, based in Aarhus, Denmark, who won the commission in 2010 following an international design competition.