Opening a new bookstore measuring almost 1,400 m² in size would be a risk almost anywhere in the world, but above all in China where the degree of Internet affinity is particularly high. Printed books are largely ordered online and the e-book share of the market stands already at about 40 %, whereas in Germany it was only 5 % in 2018.
So you have to come up with something really special if you are going to survive as a new bookshop. This is why Jin Hao, publisher and owner of the Zhongshu bookstore chain, has long focused on outstanding design in his new branches. Some of the stores in other cities have already received a great deal of attention, but the highlight has undoubtedly been provided by the branch that opened on the second floor of a shopping centre in Suzhou at the end of 2017. Here architect Yu Ting and his Wutopia Lab practice have created an exciting experiential world out of four very differently-designed areas. It attracts so many visitors into the department store that the bookstore has been given the retail space rent-free. (Christian Schittich)
So you have to come up with something really special if you are going to survive as a new bookshop. This is why Jin Hao, publisher and owner of the Zhongshu bookstore chain, has long focused on outstanding design in his new branches. Some of the stores in other cities have already received a great deal of attention, but the highlight has undoubtedly been provided by the branch that opened on the second floor of a shopping centre in Suzhou at the end of 2017. Here architect Yu Ting and his Wutopia Lab practice have created an exciting experiential world out of four very differently-designed areas. It attracts so many visitors into the department store that the bookstore has been given the retail space rent-free. (Christian Schittich)