The summer reading house is Eslite’s first pop-up bookstore in Cityplaza Hong Kong. Cityplaza is a family-based neighborhood, and we wish to design a reading and fun space for both adults and children. Two reading houses—“Cherry” and “Oak”—define the atrium space with contrasting moods, embracing the natural light that goes through the skylight while directing the thematic zoning, circulation, and spatial sequence of the entire experience.
The “Cherry House” is a reading space built with twisted ridge geometry. It separates readers from the mall traffic, creating a quiet yet dynamic interior experience. The bookshelves held the neighboring frames together for lateral stabilization while displaying the best-selling books. The “Oak House” is a children’s playroom. The slide and reading steps combined reading and playing to cater to different moods.
We designed the form and structure of “Cherry” with a parametric modeling technique. To respond to the environmental and functional constraints, every unique portal was parametrically generated by our software Rhino / Grasshopper. The information of each section profile was then sent to digital fabrication to streamline the process of design and making.
Perspective A&D Trophy Awards
Best Retail Design
Eslite
Otto Ng, Zion Chan, Kenneth Cheung, Happy Yam, Hon Chan, Ricci Wong, Chun Hang Yip, Catherine Cheng, Jason Choi, Yazh Yip