Shanghai-based architectural firm X+Living is bringing vitality to historic Dujiangyan in southwest China by creating a book-lover’s paradise, that is, the Dujiangyan Zhongshuge bookstore. With its mirrored ceilings and large arched shelves, it generates a unique and fascinating environment, where one can explore the wonderful world of literature and cultural heritage.
Pushing open the glass curtain door and entering the X+Living designed bookstore in Dujiangyan, southwest China, its unique C-shaped planks, with a natural walnut color, greet visitors. This seemingly irregular sequence is what builds the intimacy in the space and becomes the highlight of the entrance hall. The unique and vivid arc shapes open up a new avenue and subtly divide the area. The shelves extend from space to adjacent columns, ingeniously capturing readers curiosity and guiding their journey. Crossing the winding path between the walls of the library, suddenly emerges the children’s reading area. The random and irregular green bamboo is transformed into spokes, decorated with illustrations of pandas, to create a fun and eye-catching environment. Colorful cushions are stacked, forming small hills, to produce a warm and dreamy reading atmosphere. They can also be used separately, allowing small readers to sit on the floor and relax. In the Central Literature District, the designer opts for mirrored ceilings to visually expand the space and generate a large and open interior. With the effect of the black tiles on the floor, the bookstands look like boats moored quietly on the lake. The entire architectural structure aims to represent the dynamic aesthetic of climate change, be it rainy, windy or foggy. In this way, it seems that the beautiful landscape of Dujiangyan is present in the bookstore. The goal of X+Living is to design a whole interior decor, to bring the magnificent spirit of mountains and rivers into the places and to offer readers an elegant and powerful artistic landscape, which also expresses awe towards the nature.
