There’s no doubt about it. China is on a mission to build the most beautiful bookstores in the world. We were fascinated by the Zhongshuge Bookstore in Chongqing, China where visitors are drawn into a different dimension through optical illusions. Now, get ready to be mesmerized by the grandeur of YJY Maike Centre Flagship Bookstore in Xi’an, China. Designed by Japanese designer Tomoko Ikegai of IKG Inc., the stunning interior design incorporates the concepts of a library and a gallery.
The YJY Maike Centre Flagship Bookstore occupies the first and second floors of a commercial complex. Each floor has an area of 4,500 square meters where Ikegai cleverly plays with the scale of the space. Inspired by Chinese and Japanese traditional palaces, the designer exceptionally intertwines classical and contemporary designs. Upon entering, a 33-foot-tall bookcase inside the entryway serves as a bold statement of what the building is all about. It leads to an open spiral staircase that connects the two levels. The first level is filled with bookshelves containing books from around the world. But the most captivating piece is the unusual chandelier above the spiral staircase that looks like sheets of paper floating in the air.
The first floors of the YJY Maike Centre Flagship Bookstore displays massive bookshelves containing books from different parts of the world
A magnificent spiral staircase connects the two levels
A chandelier that mimics floating sheets of paper hangs above the spiral staircase
Apart from the spiral staircase, visitors can also access the second floor through the escalators. The second level of the YJY Maike Centre Flagship Bookstore functions as a lobby for the Grand Hyatt located on the upper floors of the commercial building. While the first floor features the functionality of a bookstore, the second floor evokes the atmosphere of a gallery. It has a coffee bar where visitors can mingle and exchange creative ideas. Moreover, the designer made use of rich wood tones and low ceilings to convey a congenial mood. But the second level isn’t just a cozy lobby. It also showcases a 165-foot-long “Book Street” that unites the concept to the bookstore below.
The second floor has a coffee bar to allow visitors to mingle and exchange creative ideas
The ambience inside the bookstore motivates the visitors to interact with each other. Indeed, the clever use of intimate seating areas and interconnected rooms encourage socialization, which presents a more adventurous way of learning. This stunning bookstore is certainly a bookworm’s paradise.
Source: IKG Inc.