The UNSW Bookshop by SJB
SJB’S revitalization of the University of New South Wales campus bookshop into a dynamic retail space distils qualities from some of the world’s best-loved bookstores into a unique design vision that celebrates the book. Designed in close collaboration with the development team at UNSW Sydney, the bookshop provides a transparent link between the formal and social circulation spines of the campus, engaging passersby with an active retail shopfront. The internal space hosts a large, versatile central zone, which can be used for events and book launches. Designed around the concept of three distinct rooms lined by bookshelves, the shop also houses intimate spaces that hug the edges and can be used for individual study or small meetings. Carved spaces and details explored at a micro scale reference the fine grain of a book. Externally, the bookshop expresses itself as a beacon, with a mirror-finished stainless steel awning and organic geometries, reinvigorating a formerly underused courtyard. Coupled with the retail experience, a pocket coffee shop enriches the bookshop’s offering and provides space for people to linger. This public setting fosters chance encounters, promoting innovation and intellectual leadership within the university.