bookshelf

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Art

Dutch Artists Transform a Utrecht Apartment Building into a Tri-Level Trompe L’Oeil Bookcase

Dutch street artists Jan Is De Man and Deef Feed recently painted a literary trompe l’oeil mural on an apartment building in Utrecht, Netherlands. The pair turned the side of the three-story building into a multi-level bookshelf packed with a selection of their favorite books from their own collections, in addition to a few made-up titles featuring their own names. Another XXXL bookshelf exists in Kansas City, Missouri on the side of a parking garage belonging to the central branch of the city’s public library. You can see more of Jan Is De Man’s artwork on his website, and Deef Feed’s paintings on Facebook. (via Laughing Squid)

Design

Miniature Installations Transform Bookshelves into the Back Alleys of Japan

The back alley bookends, on display at Design Festa in Tokyo. Photo by twitter user @riku_ton

If you’ve ever wandered around Tokyo on foot you’ll know that it can sometimes be like a spider web of side streets and back alleys. It’s one of the things that makes Tokyo so unique and therein lies the allure of exploring the massive city. Now, one designer has brought that magic to bookshelves by designing back alley bookends.

The clever idea is the brainchild of a Japanese designer who goes by the name monde. Based in Tokyo, monde creates objects inspired by the city but also animals and insects. The back alley bookends come in a pair and can be used together to replicate a small back alley, or they can be used individually, exposing the intricate stepping stones, A/C units, piping, plants and other details that have been carefully recreated by hand.

Monde exhibited the back alley bookends, along with other works, last weekend at Design Festa, a Tokyo-based arts & crafts event where artists, both amateur and professional, come together to exhibit their artwork. The event has since ended but the next dates (August 2-4 and then November 10-11, 2018) have already been announced. If you’re interested, you can also try reaching out to the artist directly. (Syndicated from Spoon & Tamago)

Photo by monde

Photo by twitter user @riku_ton

Design

A Japanese Home Designed Around a Climbable Earthquake-Proof Bookshelf

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are lovely, and can act as a robust focal point in any home, though accessing the high shelves can be a problem. The common sidekick has always been ladders which can also add character and charm, but for smaller homes like in Japan they can be a nuisance, occupying too much space for not enough usage. Japanese architect Shinsuke Fujii came up with a simple, yet brilliant solution that solves another problem too: earthquake safety.

The “House in Shinyoshida,” as it’s called, named for the neighborhood in Yokohama where it stands, was conceived shortly after the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake. The client, who happened to be an avid book lover, approached Fujii with the task to design a home around a large bookshelf that’s both easily accessible but also one that won’t spill all the books if there’s ever a tremor.

The solution was to slant the entire western-facing façade and create a built-in slanted bookshelf whose shelves also function as a ladder. The slant allows family members of all ages to climb up and reach books, but also keeps the books from falling should an earthquake ever shake the home. The slanted façade also has the effect of creating an open feeling in the family room, where the home’s high perch allows for plenty of sunlight to enter through the large windows. (Syndicated from Spoon & Tamago)

Design

Functional Shelves and Tables Built From Fallen South American Trees

“Bilbao (Tree Shelf)”

Artist and designer Sebastian Errazuriz allows natural form to dictate his furniture design, building shelves and tables that conform to the tree structures that inspire his work. Highlighting the tree’s shape as focal point, Errazuriz keeps his designs simple, placing only thin panes of glass to add the functionality needed for shelves or tabletops. The trees he incorporates into his designs are sourced from forests in South America, readapting their fallen branches while keeping the integrity of trees’ original shape (like the root system seen in his Tree Table below).

Although Errazuriz’s designs tend to be minimal, he is also fond of adding a dash of the absurd. “It’s important to me that a project consist of just a little twist,” he said, “because I ultimately want people to see the obvious, the everyday differently.”

The Chilean artist received his Master’s in Fine Arts from New York University and is currently based in New York City. Errazuriz is represented by Cristina Grajales Gallery and Salon94. You can see more images of his work on his Facebook and Instagram. (via My Modern Met)

“Bilbao (Tree Shelf)”

Bilbao (Tree Shelf), detail

Bilbao (Tree Shelf), detail

Bilbao (Tree Shelf), detail

“Metamorphosis Shelf,” carved wood, 2010 , 56 3⁄4” x 127” x 14 1⁄2”, edition of 12

“Metamorphosis Shelf,” carved wood, 2010 , 56 3⁄4” x 127” x 14 1⁄2”, edition of 12

“The Tree Coffee Table,” native wood, stainless steel and glass

“The Tree Coffee Table,” native wood, stainless steel and glass

“The Tree Table,” native wood, stainless steel, and glass, 150”x50”x30”

“The Tree Table,” native wood, stainless steel, and glass, 150”x50”x30”

Design

Chuck: A Flexible Wooden Bookshelf

Chuck is an awesome shelving concept by German designer Natascha Harra-Frischkorn. The flexible shelving unit is made from six 4mm thick planks of wood that can be adjusted to hold small collections of books and other objects in a beautiful organic shape. Really wish this was actually a thing. (via soft shock)