Livraria de Vila is a bookshop in São Paulo with a store-front made of revolving bookcases, designed by Brazilian studio Isay Weinfeld Arquitecto.

Completed in 2007, the project involved the renovation of a two-storey house on the deep narrow site and included the addition of a basement.

The walls of each level are covered with shelves from floor to ceiling and apertures between floors are lined with books too.

The basement level is dedicated to childrens books, in addition to a small auditorium for lectures and courses.

See also:

Dezeen’s top ten: shops (August 2009)
Sumaré House by Isay Weinfeld Arquitecto (December 2009)

Photography is by Leonardo Finotti.

Here is some more information from the architects:

The Livraria da Vila is the result of the refurbishment of a two-story house, built on a very narrow plot in São Paulo.

From start, it was clear an open plan was needed, as to better arrange products and circulation. For that reason, significant structural alterations were performed to the existing building, such as the incorporation of metal parts that would make it possible to displace the pillars to the outer sections of the building, and reinforce its foundations.

The inclusion of one level – basement – allowed for the setting up of an entire floor exclusive for children, in addition to a small auditorium, to hold courses and lectures.

We believe that in a commercial venue, a project must always be developed to enhance the product, its in-store merchandising, and its sales.

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There are, undoubtedly, innumerable ways to achieve this goal, and it is probably the nature of the approach that distinguishes each project.

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We, in particular, strive for solutions that will allow customers to experience the product as comfortably as possible.

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In the case of Livraria da Vila, such comfort is translated into the composition of low-ceiling spaces, dark tones, indirect lighting and infinite shelves – in careful disarray – covering all walls to the ceiling.

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Whichever direction one looks at, there are books, and an unpretentious feel, reminding that of used-book stores, making customers at ease to browse the shelves for the books they want, to leaf through or even read them in the couches and easy chairs scattered around the multiple stories.

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The pivoting window-shelf-doors, and the voids “connecting” one floor to the next, are other project elements that, unexpected, invite customers to enter and explore the store and its various spaces.

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Architect: Isay Weinfeld
Collaborator: Domingos Pascali
Project manager: Monica Cappa
Team: Marcelo Alvarenga / Juliana Garcia / Leandro Garcia
Date of commission: Sept 2006
Date of completion: Apr 2007
Buit area: 790,00 m²

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