Today is World Book Day. To mark the occasion we've rounded up 10 of the best ways designers have stored books, from bookshelf staircases to a huge concrete case that spans the wall of a Mexico City home.
A modular system made from steel forms the partitions of this cafe in Beijing by Penda, populated by wooden boxes designed to store books and display plants.
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Barn conversion, Belgium, by Studio Farris Architects
A Jenga-like structure in Studio Farris Architects' barn renovation forms a staircase with an integrated workspace. Its overhanging treads form shelving and cupboards for the client's books.
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Pedro Reyes' House, Mexico, by Pedro Reyes
Spanning one wall of the lounge in sculptor Pedro Reyes' Mexico City home is a huge double-height bookcase made from concrete slabs, with a gallery space accessed by cantilevered steps.
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Silvia Allori's House, Italy, by Silvia Allori
Pegs slot into holes in the walls of Silvia Allori's self-designed apartment in Florence, forming customisable bookshelves. A further bookcase is hidden behind a fold-down panel that opens to form a desk.
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The Plywood Trio Apartment, Spain, by Buj+Colón Arquitectos
When redesigning an apartment in Madrid, Buj+Colón Arquitectos added a plywood staircase with built-in cupboards below each tread for the client to store books and magazines.
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London design duo Raw Edges'Â bookcase has a wooden frame that resembles a weaving loom. It allows books to be slotted over red threads and held at varying heights by sliding stoppers.
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Liyuan Library, China, by Li Xiaodong
This small, single-storey library in Liyuan houses its book collection within its chunky timber framework, including a stepped platform with integrated shelves that double as seating for readers.
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Bookshelf House, France, by Andrea Mosca
Architect Andrea Mosca added stepped bookcases to help divide and characterise this Parisian house for a client who was enamoured with a friend's room-length bookshelf.
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Osaka office, Japan, by Nikken Space Design
Nikken Sekkei's self-designed office in Osaka features a bleacher-inspired bookcase at its centre. The shelving faces floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city skyline, encouraging workers to sit and read.
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Muswell Hill home, UK, by Tamir Addadi Architecture
Tamir Addadi Architecture introduced a staircase into this London home, with a balustrade where books can be displayed within compartments made from shelving rails fixed between wooden panels.
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