The St. Louis Central Library is like a cathedral for books. It is a truly remarkable building. But even before I saw that library branch, I was intrigued by another member of the St. Louis Public Library family…the Buder Branch at 4401 Hampton.

This was actually one of the first buildings I noticed when we moved to St. Louis over 15 years ago, probably because it was located right by the Target store at which we first shopped. The turquoise details, the windows, the unique shape all make it a very notable structure.

The interior, while modern, also fits the exterior of the building perfectly.

Perhaps the most notable aspect of the library is the spiral staircase, which goes from the basement to the third floor, and is flanked by curved windows made of wavy block glass.

The library wasn’t the first resident of this building. It was originally built as the Hampton Bank of St. Louis in the 1950s (which explains the mid-century modern vibe), and was also home to Missouri Savings and Loan and the Metropolitan Sewer District of St. Louis. The library moved in in 1998, relocating from another mid-century modern building on Hampton which now houses the Record Exchange. It’s good to see this unique building serving the community and busy with students, families, and other people who have a love of books and learning!