Stockholm Public Library / Gunnar Asplund

In the early 1900s, the concept of a public library was being adopted by the City of Stockholm in Sweden. Gunnar Asplund was initially hired to help determine the requirements for a public library and then prepare a competition open to all architects. Beginning his research in the United States, Asplund saw first hand examples of the most developed library system in the world. He became very informed and when the building committee realized the strength that he had in his understandings and ideas, they decided he would be the most suitable architect for the job — via ArchDaily