THE BOOKSHOP
University (MA programme) project, 2023
An initial sketch
The Bookshop Pop-up at London Victoria is a customer experience-oriented temporary shop that encourages physical book shopping as opposed to online shopping. What’s different about this pop-up compared to other Bookshop locations is that it only sells books that have video adaptations - be it film or series. Such books include but are not limited to The Sun Is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han, and Heartstopper by Alice Oseman. These are mainly Young Adult novels catering to Gen Z or younger Millennials.
The design solution for this pop-up is a perfect balance between modern and traditional features. This includes touch screen computers that encourage the customers to browse a digital library of video excerpts from the series and films that the books have inspired, interviews with actors and authors, and other behind-the-scenes materials, all exclusive to the pop-up thanks to the extensive and close connections the Bookshop has established within the industry throughout the years.
A dynamic counterpart to the modern technology in the space is an installation inspired by the book manufacturing process. Long pieces of paper with book excerpts printed on them are fed through a system of suspended cylinders, creating a composition that resembles the stage in book manufacturing where text is printed on huge rolls of paper before they are cut into pages. This will remind the customers of physical features of books and the long an rich history of physical book printing.
Another feature that makes this pop-up stand outfrom other book shops is its marketing strategy. Inspired by the widely popular among young people industry of K-Pop (Huber, 2023), the book shop offers special editions of books: hidden between the pages are collectible photocards with pictures of the actors starring in the respective film adaptations. For example, for To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, it’s Lana Condor and Noah Centineo.
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The design of the space takes into account the visitors’ staff’s wellbeing as highlighted in the WELL Standard: the transparent roof provides natural daylight and views of the sky during the day; the materials chosen do not present danger to the ecology and are recyclable (WELL Certified, 2023).
The colours for the space have also been chosen with intention: purple sparks passion and makes a space lively, while green promotes freshness and growth (Stoneside, 2023). These factors positively impact the customers’ mood and encourage growth of interest and engagement.
As mentioned earlier, the shape of the pop-up was inspired by the multitude of arches seen in the architecture of the Victoria Station.
The presence of colour and the futuristic design makes the shop stand out and attract interest. The facades also feature touchscreen computers, letting passers-by engage with the shop without entering straight away.
The location of the pop-up allows it to be seen by large numbers of people daily, thus promoting it organically. The interesting look of the structure encourages its visitors to take photos and share them on social media, which is also an important promotional aspect.
