The UNSW Bookshop

Realised in close collaboration with the Development Team at UNSW Sydney, SJB’s revitalisation of the university’s aging campus bookshop into a dynamic retail space distils qualities from some of the world’s best-loved bookstores into a design that celebrates the importance of the book whilst resonating with the university’s wider intellectual vision. UNSW is one of Australia’s leading research and teaching universities renowned for its commitment to new and innovative approaches to education and research. Its motto, ‘with hand and mind,’ defines the central philosophy of balancing the practical with the scholarly. The university leadership team identified the university bookshop as a central function to support student life. A vision was set to reinvigorate an existing retail space to provide a vibrant, cultural place enabling access to high quality educational content in a space fostering intellectual leadership and collaboration. The design team championed a close working with the university’s facilities team, external consultants and the builder, which was integral to allowing the design to evolve to achieve the highest quality within the available funds. Externally the bookshop expresses itself as a beacon, from the Instagram-worthy mirror finished stainless steel awning to the organic geometries of the outdoor space, breathing new life into a formerly under-utilised courtyard. The internal space further enriches this transparency, accommodating a large multi-use central zone which can be used for events and book launches. Designed around the concept of four unique rooms lined by bookshelves, intimate spaces hug the edges for smaller engagement or individual study surrounding the larger multi-use areas. Block coloured spaces are carved in form and sit above a terracotta base. Details are explored at micro scale referencing the fine grain of a book; suggesting playful, tactile qualities at a domestic scale; emanating the comfort and warmth of a traditional bookshop. Bookshelves bound each space, lightly touching a grounded floor plane and continuously evolving with the flow of book stock. By breaking a large single area into different sized rooms, creating a domestic atmosphere and inspiring curiosity, the UNSW Bookshop presents a unique concept in a retail context. The retail reconfiguration also allows for a pocket coffee shop providing space for students to pause, either on their own or with company. This permission to linger fosters spontaneous dialogues, promoting discussion and intellectual leadership within the university. Celebrating the importance of the book and the need to retreat into the physical in our technologically driven world, the bookshop emanates these values and drives a new typology that pushes the boundaries of institutional retail design.