By breaking a large single area into different sized rooms, the UNSW Bookshop presents a unique concept in a campus retail context. The most evocative material in the project palette was the product for sale: the book itself, which becomes the walls of each space, suggesting playful and tactile qualities at a domestic scale. Block colour curved ceilings establish the distinct character of each room – darker rooms amplify intimacy and focussed study, whilst lighter rooms denote larger scale multi-functional spaces. The choice of colours emerged from the need to encourage users to linger and feel at home in the space. The palette of warm tones generates a sense of comfort and is stimulating in equal measure, promoting creativity and inquiry. The reading room harks back to an era when maroon was steeped in the tradition of learning, exuding a sense of warmth and intimacy. Glowing peach tones within the bookshop’s sales area mark the harmonious beginning and end of the user’s journey. Externally the bookshop expresses itself as a beacon, from the Instagram-worthy mirror finished stainless steel awning to the organic geometries of the outdoor space, breathing new life into a formerly under-utilised courtyard.