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Ningbo Zhongshuge bookstore

X+Living

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Comments
Innovation
Functionality
Creativity
Eco-Social Impact
Total
JURY VOTES
Multi-Brand Store
5.88
5.38
6.25
4.75
5.56
Judith Haase
Judith Haase Architect at Gonzalez Haase AAS
7
7
6
4
6
Tetsuya Matsumoto
Tetsuya Matsumoto Head Architect at KTX archiLAB
7
5
7
5
6
Lauren Touhey-Otto
Lauren Touhey-Otto Head of Design at Kinzo Architekten GmbH
Cool space and effect...
7
5
7
5
6
Howard Duffy
Howard Duffy Founder at HTDSTUDIO Arkitekter AB
Books powering the 'Machine'. Use o...
7
7
8
7
7.25
Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson Architect at Mark Anderson Design
Well-crafted commercial language. T...
6
5
7
6
6
Franziska Heuschkel
Franziska Heuschkel Founder at Space & Pepper
Looking through a retail-lens, the...
5
4
7
5
5.25
Sam McMorran
Sam McMorran Strategy and Design Director at IDEO
5
3
7
5
5
Bhavin Taylor
Bhavin Taylor Founder / Interior Designer at Bhavin Taylor Design
The space is warm and inviting, but...
5
4
4
4
4.25
Vivian van Schagen
Vivian van Schagen Founder at The Invisible Party
The interior design of the store re...
7
7
7
5
6.5
Hana Ahriz
Hana Ahriz Co-founder at Space & Pepper
It’s a very busy space where all yo...
4
4
6
4
4.5
Tracey Wiles
Tracey Wiles Principal at woods bagot
A strong retail concept creating an...
6
7
7
5
6.25
Vicki Spielmann
Vicki Spielmann Group Creative Lead, Head of Brand Experience at Google
5
4
5
3
4.25
Nic Lee
Nic Lee Design Director at Waterfrom Design Co., Ltd
6
6
5
5
5.5
Puri Lighting Design
Puri Lighting Design Design Director at Beijing Puri Lighting Design
7
6
7
5
6.25
Agnes Kwek
Agnes Kwek Design Ambassador at DesignSingapore Council
4
6
4
4
4.5
John Allsopp
John Allsopp Architect at John Allsopp Studio
6
6
6
4
5.5
Designer
Client
Shanghai Zhongshu Industrial Co., Ltd.
Floor area
1230 ㎡
Completion
2020
designer

The designer creates a unique landscape in the space with vivid expression and bold outline. Located at the coast of the East China Sea, Zhongshuge has interpreted the culture of the times in the city, Ningbo. Walking close to zhongshuge, you will see that the symbolic glass curtain wall is embedded in the thick stone facade. The concise base sends forth power and the charms of the bookstore is quietly displaced. Two or three chairs lean against the wall, extending to the coffee area. Walking through the huge glass door, you will see a different space, the light-color and fine grid book wall comes into view. Sofa chairs and private leisure seats are scattered among them. The warm and white light in front of the sofa seat quietly decorates, enlightening the readers in this elegant space. It seems that people and books have become more fresh and vivid among the atmosphere. The walnut color and black walnut color bookshelves stand overlap with each other, just like towering rocks long washed by running water. The designer integrates the rock texture drawing onto the bookshelves, adding more force and exquisiteness to the view and creating a charming landmark. The bookshelves are arranged in high and low order while the ceiling cabinets scattered, providing an interesting picture and more fun of exploration visually. The ingenious composition seems instantly folds readers into giant landscape paintings, presenting the visual aesthetics of blending design and nature, and displaying the unrepeatable cultural heritage. A ladder emerges from the tranquility and if you walk up to the second floor, you will find that the landscape of the concept area extends from the first floor to here. The multi-dimensional stacking of large bookshelves not only aims to create the artistry of the whole space, but also reflects the designer's careful thinking on the shape and functions of the bookshelves. In view of the lower storey height of the second floor, the mirror features of zhongshuge work again. The effect of reflection and inversion broadens the visual experience of the limited space. With the sight line going down, different blocks can be seen endowed with different functional attributes. On one hand, the bookshelves are used to display book. On the other hand, they are integrated into the storage cabinets. Those at lower level are used as seats set up against the steps. Considering the vertical height of the forum area, the designer creates a double lecture hall that is "high in the middle, low on both sides". The high spot of the hall provides a bird's-eye view of the whole space while book walls standing at both ends, which effectively satisfies different demands of readers and maximizes the space utilization rate and practicability. In the cafe on the second floor, bookshelves are arranged in an orderly manner. What's new is that the shelves are built with "windows" in-between for readers. The partition provides privacy while not wasting the space. Instead, the space layout is optimized. Under the mirror ceiling, the storey height is visually doubled, and the virtual and real extension of windows, people and books in the scene is all captured in the frame view. In the leisure time, the sight floats to the distant through the window and settles between the bookshelves and the window. It seems that people are appreciating the scenery and the scenery is staring at people too. The clean and simple teaching auxiliary area provides a temple-like space. The facade wall of arch shape extends to the corner of the conference room on both sides. The retro European style sublimates the reading experience and ritual feeling to the extreme. The children-style composition depicts the aesthetic feeling of children's area. The reading table inspired from rattle drum skillfully combines with the desk to add a touch of interest. The stepping-up ladder and wall partition also provide more seats. Music scores along with the zither and Pipa-shaped bookshelves presents symbols of etiquette inheritance, all of which originate from the designer's rich feelings towards traditional culture, aiming to form an ideal growth environment for children.