A Colosseum of Books: Emphasizing the Pleasure of Reading

In order to celebrate the 2017 International Book Fair in Guadalajara, Mexico, Ayuntamiento de Madrid appointed Spanish architect Alberto Campo Baeza to create a Colosseum of Books. The idea behind the project was to create a recognizable space for people to pass through before reaching the core building which is full of light that brings wisdom through books.

A Colosseum of Books

The black cylinder in the exterior looks looming and industrial, covering the surprising side of the building.

Meanwhile, the space is quite recognizable since it incorporated a lot of classical architecture that can be found in Spain. The words ‘Madrid’, ‘Cervantes’, ‘Peace’, and ‘Rulfo’ were written on the exterior walls.  

An Agora of Books

Passing through the existing gates, visitors are welcomed into an agora of books that looks like a white colosseum. While the entire color palette is white, the colorful books have managed to add a pop of colors to the interior.

The book displays are arranged on the upper floor and stand out from the white space. The interior space seems to float like a space station, mirroring the transportive effect of reading.

Meanwhile, the rest of the walls are lined with the greek theater-style seating that acts as the stairs as well. With this, the visitors can read however they want, either while seating or standing.

The complete freedom offered to the visitors reflect how the designing team wanted to emphasize that reading is liberating, which is one of the important themes of the space.

Via Design Boom