Xidan Zhongshuge, a bookstore or surreal magic.
In China, bookstores and libraries are a vital experience. A year ago we told you about the most spectacular bookstore in the world: Chongqing Zhongshuge, in the city of Chongqing . A madness of more than 3,000 square meters covered with books and which was accessed by labyrinthine stairs.
But three months ago there is a new bookstore that competes with it in the country. It has also been created by the same architecture studio, X + Living, although it is found in the Galeries Lafayette Beijing.
Entering** Xidan Zhongshuge** is like entering a parallel reality, where the interplay of mirrors, stairs and books creates an unprecedented, almost surreal visual sensation. "In this bookstore in Beijing we are inspired by a classical Chinese garden," says Emma Lee, an assistant at the X+ Living brand to Traveler.es.
Customers go through magical tunnels made of books to enter different rooms , which symbolize the geographical and cultural characteristics of the city. Thus they create a labyrinthine sensation with circular tunnels, spacious and high shelves where, surely, it is difficult not to take more than one copy.
The lights help create an optical sensation.
“Nowadays many bookstores in China are located in shopping malls , which are beneficial for both store owners and shopping centers because they need cultural businesses such as a bookstore to promote cultural taste”, they add from X+ Living.
Inside the bookstore of about 1,100 square meters Everything is located for a reason. The arches lead readers into different rooms, some of them to relax, rest and read, others more interactive such as those designed for children.
One of the most curious is designed to hold cultural events and is designed as a **bamboo forest. **
A bamboo forest among books.
Undoubtedly, the first thing one might think is "how could they create such a library?", but apparently for the creators the construction has not been so difficult.
“The build has not been much of a challenge, most are just normal techniques . The only tricky thing was that since we created a mirrored ceiling, we had to find an alternative for the air outlet which is usually placed in that spot. We hid it on the shelves, in this way it did not affect the general aesthetics of the bookstore”, they point out.
The expectation is being maximum, according to what they tell us from the architecture studio, and it is not for less. “ We hope that readers connect with the space and the design, either in a spiritual way with the concept or naturally with the products of the space. . That way they will also want to share it with other people on social networks, something that would help the gallery businesses”.
Would you like to enter it?