Designed by: Chu Chih-kang Space Design
Most first-time visitors to Wuguan bookstore would come to a full stop when they first pull back the store curtain and see what is waiting for them: surprise, amazement, or perhaps confusion. With an extremely low lighting, all visitors could see are the books on the shelves.
Most visitors are surprised by the bookstore’s low interior lighting. However at the same time, they are captivated by the books on the shelves without realizing it. “Whether people would only want to read in a well-lit environment or not” is a question the bookstore often ponder, and they discovered that it is easier for people to collect their thoughts and enjoy a book at night. That is why a space have been created to allow people to wind down, listen to their inner voice, and find a book they really want to read.
With book covers on nearly 300 bookshelves facing outward, the display allows books themselves to recount their personality and story to thevisitors. The carefully-designed lighting only illuminates the books and creates an illusion that they are floating in the air. A yakisugi (shou sugi ban) table can be found in the bookstore that offers ample lighting to visitors who prefer to spend more time reading their book in detail.
The floor is covered with carpets, which can absorb echoes as well as sound of footsteps. With lighting concentrating on books and other objects, visitors won’t notice the presence of other people in the store. With less person-to-person interference, visitors can choose whatever book they like to read without worrying about other people looking at them as well as focusing on reading without disruption.
Books use their covers to tell their personality and story. The collection includes books of different genres: psychology, emotion, gender, body, anatomy, erotica, art, and novelty. Instead of categorizing books by genre, Wugan choose to categorize them based on the color of the book cover.
The interior lighting is carefully designed and positioned to illuminate the books and bookshelves but not the readers. Some of the books contain mature themes and people may feel reluctant to read them if they were at a well-lit bookstore. However, at Wuguan Books, people can enjoy reading the book they want to read without worrying about other people’s eyes. Thanks to the low-lighting atmosphere, visitors can concentrate on reading and forget about their surrounding environment. In short, Wuguan Books offers the best of both worlds by bringing the advantages of a brick and mortar bookstore and online bookstore together. Visitors can pick up a book and flip through a few pages without worrying about other people.
At Wuguan Books, you are able to open the door to your inner self. Come and have a honest and real interaction with yourself.
