Get lost with the bookstore design of Dujiangyan Zhongshuge

24/08/2022
Category: Travel

Dujiangyan Zhongshuge is one of the most incredible bookstore designs in Chengdu. The bookstore was designed by the architecture firm X+Living, and its construction concluded in September 2020. The bookstore design is a unique paradise for booklovers with mirrored ceilings and swooping arches.

Masterminds

X+Living, the firm that designed the beautiful bookstore, was established in 2011 by Chinese architect Li Xiang. X+Living is involved in various projects, including retail, office, hospitality, parent-child, and malls. Xiang has continuously worked at the cutting edge of art, fashion, and business. She has created a variety of unique designs with commercial and aesthetic values. Xiang’s technique has become the benchmark in aesthetic and strategic planning. The architect and her firm have earned many awards on a national and international level.

The unique bookstore design earned X+Living recognition and awards, including A’Design Award 2020, Architizer A+Awards in Commercial Retail Space, Dezeen Awards 2021 Longlisted, 2021 Architecture MasterPrize Interior Design-Commercial, 2021 FX International Awards, 2021 Interior Design Best of Year, and 2022 IFI DDA in Commerce.

Layout

As you enter Dujiangyan Zhongshuge through its glass doors, you encounter C-shaped bookcases, creating various intimate spaces to find the perfect book. The center of the store features towering arches and columns, taking advantage of the tall room. There are even bookcases that stand tall from floor to ceiling. The impossible-to-reach books in the tall bookcases are film printed with books. The 80,000 readable books in the bookstore are reachable.

The city of Dujiangyan has a long history of water conservation development. The architectural firm took advantage of the city’s history by including unique shapes for the bookcases that seem to flow like water down a river. The firm’s main idea was to bring the outside to an indoor space. Each bookshelf has shades of natural walnut with lighting design strips embedded into each rack, creating a unique lighting and overall design.

On the first floor of the bookstore, you will find a café and a children’s area. The latter features cute bamboo bookcases decorated with pandas and stacks of colorful cushions for a cozy reading spot for the little ones. The second floor features a balcony with seating for customers to browse their selections, work, or meet.

The main star of the show is the central literature district. It features circular enclosures of high shelving with openings and arches that connect to other areas. Dujiangyan dam is the main inspiration for the site, creating a unique visual that looks like a city wall of historical culture rising from the black tiled floor to the mirrored ceilings. The bookstore design plays a lot with reflections, which makes the space seem infinite and absurdly large.

Overall

Overall, Dujiangyan Zhongshuge has a dazzling and unique bookstore design that will surely attract anyone worldwide. Entering the bookstore is like visiting another world with a unique mixture of natural elements and modernity. It is truly inspiring how X+Living was able to bring to life their main inspiration into such a unique and breathtaking design.

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