The new state-of-the-art Rockville Library pays tribute in its design to the most significant achievement that ever took place in the Maryland city’s history: the mapping of the human genome. Its soaring atrium (pictured) features energy-efficient lights that evoke a starry night and a terrazzo “DNA” floor designed by Hagerstown, Maryland, artist Heidi M. Lippman. Architecture: Steve Parker, Melanie Hennigan, Rick Morrison, Karen Erickson and Julia Crawford, Grimm & Parker Architects, Bethesda, Maryland.