International architecture studio GBBN has renovated a 1960s library at the University of Pittsburgh, in Pennsylvania, USA, adding a stacked-glass extension, to act as a central hub for students.

The new 230,000-square-foot (21,365-square-metre) Hillman Library opened in 2025, transforming a 1968 design by local mid-century studio Celli-Flynn & Associates into 21st-century academic infrastructure.

GBBN has transformed a 1960s library for the University of Pittsburgh

GBBN , which is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, aimed to create an environment where all students can carve out a space for themselves, GBBN associate Sarah Kusuma Rubritz told Dezeen.

"At Hillman Library, students have a place where they feel connected to their work, their school, their peers, to the expertise of the librarians and the larger community," Rubritz said.…