This small bookshop in Bratislava, Slovakia, has a climbing wooden floor that allows it to double up as an informal auditorium.
In the daytime these chunky wooden steps provide seats for anyone having a leaf through the books, while during events and talks they can be filled with rows of spectators.
Completed by Slovakian architects Martin Jančok of Plural and Aleš Šedivec of Totalstudio in 2010, the bookshop also contains a coffee shop at the floor’s peak.
A staircase here leads down to staff rooms and storage areas that are concealed below.
One of our most popular stories of all time features a bookshop inside a former church - see what you think here or see all our stories about bookshops here.
Here's a little more text from the architects:
Bookshop and coffee bar.
2010, Bratislava, Slovakia
How can a small bookshop compete within a network of firmly established booksellers? What can it offer to customers? How can it draw attention?
Our aim was to create a flexible space that would not only sell books but would also be capable of facilitating various collateral events such as projections, readings, minor concerts, workshops, etc.
Two focal points of the bookshop are placed at both ends of the longitudinal space.
A checkout is next to the entrance and a coffee bar is on the opposite side on an original elevated gallery.
Both levels are connected with cascades which serve as an auditorium during collateral events and allow customers to sit, read, relax or communicate through regular opening hours.
Books are stored in long shelves along both sides of thebookshop. By this means a clear oragnization and a monumental effect is achieved. New titles and bestsellers are displayed at several mobile stands.
The permanent part of the program - storage, deposit, office and lavatory – are placed under the gallery and accessible via a staircase at the edge of the coffee bar and cascades.
Authors: Martin Jančok (Plural), Aleš Šedivec (Totalstudio)
Graphic design: Marcel Benčík
Client: Ladon, s.r.o.
Structural engineering: Geostat
Carpenter: Treeman
Total floor area: 170m²
Sou Fujimoto wants his idea back.
I guess they dont have much of a SDA in Slovakia.
Joe
(Slovakians with Disabilities Act)
As if Rem Koolhaas hasn't already done the "climbing wooden floor that allows it to double up as an informal auditorium" at the NYC Prada shop in back in 2003.
That's not to say that it isn't a nice little book shop, however the floor in this case reduces the amount of usable book shelving.
I would then give credits to another Dutch architect, Herman Hertzberger, who made these auditorium/stairs long before.
They have almost become a 'standard' feature in the repertoire of architecture since, so no need to say they copied it. No need to brag about the stairs either though.
Looks nice!
interesting!
lighting might be improved
wood texture, white colored chair and tables are not bad.
I like that open space, and impression of stairs, that represents that reading is actualy good way to rise up yourself on the next step of ramp.
Beautiful project – and very simple, that is the main charme of the whole thing.
Meanwhile all I can do is just smile on the comments above (Fujimoto, Prada). It's not a shame to use the same elements of architecture, like others did (hey, Michelangelo also made some fine staircases…), the funny thing is that to me the things work much better than on other examples: very warm and velcoming, BUT elegand on the other hand. Really flexible, good for different usage – really simple AND clever!
MB, Hungary
Its a beautiful book shop but there is no way that you could get up those stairs in a wheelchair…