A Different Take on a Children’s Bookstore

The Miro store of Duoyun Bookstore, located in the  Spring Blossom Culture and Creative Town, was recently inaugurated. Inspired by the works of Italian artist Cristina Làstrego, such as Mirò the Cat, The Circus, and The Creation, the designer at Wutopia Lab approached the children’s bookstore with fairytale elements to give the space a whimsical appeal.

The entrance of the bookshop mimics a sailing ship docked in the harbour – yellow on the outside and red on the inside. A “lighthouse” was designed as a library-like book tower. At the centre of the tower is a red spiral staircase that connects the two stories of the white book tower. A sun roof offers abundant light to stream into this space.

Stepping out of the white Skylight Book Tower is an abstract black forest. The sparse arrangement of black metal rods supports the partially hollowed-out dark metal roof. Sunlight weaves through the green gaps and the black ground emerges in shimmering patches of light, as if in a forest. This is the semi-outdoor forest corridor that leads to the main space of bookstore. At the end of the corridor is a cloud gate, a symbol identified at the Huangshan store of Duoyun Bookstore.

Behind the Cloud Gate is the cloud-themed family-friendly area – the Cloud Terrace Cafe. A layered, interlocking floating platform details the transition from white gradient perforated aluminium panels to brushed stainless steel on the entire surface. This gives readers the impression that they are walking through clouds and resting among them. Here, the designer uses silver and white to create a quiet and private atmosphere, as well as provide a sense of calm.

The focal point of the bookstore is the drawing library on the first floor, comprising four areas or huts. A gradation of blues is used to transform the drawing library into an ocean. Four of the animals from The Creation, namely sea creatures, amphibians, birds, and mammals, were selected and abstracted to form animal-shaped entrances of huts.

A striking red perforated aluminum panel tent sits on the terrace outside the drawing library. Visitors can notice the flaming tent as they enter from the town square. The tent concept is derived from two sources – The Circus of the Miro’s IP and the red flying house on the roof of the Anaya children’s restaurant designed by Wutopia Lab five years ago. The carousel in the tent is the recurring symbol of Wutopia Lab’s designs to convey a child-like quality.

The roof of the drawing library was designed with rolling “mountains” of gold perforated aluminum panels and a glass house with a wave-tossed ceiling hidden inside the gold mountain. Overall this space exudes a child-like quality.

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