PingPong Bookstore - Shanghai, CH (2019)

In 2019, we completed the design of the "Lvwa Bookstore" at the invitation of Shanghai University of Sport and the Century Publishing (Group) Co., Ltd. The Mingyue Mountain, as the most prominent conceptual element of the space, was placed in the central atrium. The blue color of Lan Mountain is associated with the ping pong tables and the Olympic blue, while the mountain itself symbolizes a "mountain of books." At the core of the Mingyue Mountain, we scattered 15 small "book mountains," designed in the form of steps, throughout various spaces. These function as bookshelves, cabinets, seats, bars, and podiums. Together with Mingyue Mountain, they form a homogenous "mountain range," serving as physical space nodes for storing books and accommodating people. The "clearings between the mountains," formed by grid-like pathways and open spaces, allow visitors to wander freely, embarking on a personal exploration of the bookstore from one mountain to another. In combination with the scattered layout of the book mountains, we created numerous openings of varying sizes on the walls throughout the bookstore. These openings guide the flow of movement and the interplay of sightlines, aiming to create a sense of circulation, continuity, and boundless depth within the limited space, stimulating visitors' curiosity to explore the space. The Green Tile Sports Bookstore is nestled in the shade of trees outside the west gate of Shanghai University of Sport, waiting quietly for distant friends with its blue mountain range that offers a unique experience. As dusk falls and the light rings under the atrium skylight gradually illuminate the surrounding ball lights, the halos that spread across the bookshelves resemble the moonlight in the mountains or a lighthouse at sea, guiding people to explore the dual worlds of knowledge and action, navigating both the seas and mountains in their quest.