Livraria da Vila / Isay Weinfeld

Aug 2009

By David Basulto — Filed under: Retail , bookstore, Brazil, Isay Weinfeld, Leonardo Finotti

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Frontal view © Leonardo Finotti

Brazilian architecture has produced interesting works in the business/retail area, often limited to just interior design. Recent works by Marcio Kogan, Marcelo Alvarango or Tao Arquitetura are good examples of a tradition that, in my personal opinion, has a peak at Mendes da Rocha’s Forma store in Sao Paulo. If you ever go to Sao Paulo to visit local architecture, don´t be afraid of your girlfriend/wife taking you to shopping, there´s lots to see there.

Leonardo Finotti shared with us an interesting project by local architect Isay Weinfeld that is up to this brazilian standard, the Libraria da Vila bookstore in Sao Paulo. An hermetic volume with a pivoting book facade contains an interesting space filled with books distributed over 3 levels as you can see on the photos:

Frontal view © Leonardo Finotti

Entrance view © Leonardo Finotti

Underground Floor view © Leonardo Finotti

Stairway to the underground Floor © Leonardo Finotti

Ground Floor view; underground Floor below © Leonardo Finotti

View from the First Floor toward stairway to the ground Floor © Leonardo Finotti

Underground Floor © Leonardo Finotti

Room surrounded with bookshelfs on the ground Floor and underground © Leonardo Finotti

Stairway to the First Floor © Leonardo Finotti

Ground Floor; stairway to the First Floor on right © Leonardo Finotti

Tables and bookshelf in background © Leonardo Finotti

About David Basulto: Graduate Architect. Co Founder and Executive Editor of ArchDaily.com. Architecture geek.

Cite:
Basulto , David . "Livraria da Vila / Isay Weinfeld" 09 Aug 2009. ArchDaily. Accessed 04 Feb 2012. <http://www.archdaily.com/31172>

Comments (34)
Tweets (35)
Links to this entry (44)

james says:

woo

# August 9, 2009 at 23:23

LucasAbreu says:

Books were definitely the focus here.
I like it!

I’m afraid, though, this level of architecture is too concentrated in São Paulo. I would say it’s a very ‘paulistana’ architecture IMO.

# August 10, 2009 at 00:02

nibby says:

the gate make me wow!

# August 10, 2009 at 01:10

theDude says:

Very cool and original thinking, fits the purpose and adds a fun experience to going to a bookstore. I have Mr Weinfeld’s monograph he has done some beautiful mansions around Brasil.
Raspek!

# August 10, 2009 at 02:12

The Big Black & White Zebra says:

Quality design and build…
Although I am altogether not convinced about using the product as decoration

# August 10, 2009 at 05:40

Poka says:

ow.. I will feel like in some kind of the museum, “don’t touch anything cause the beauty could be destroyed”

# August 10, 2009 at 05:54

ninedeer says:

I love it

# August 10, 2009 at 07:05

Marian says:

Thank you for this post ,,, searching for this for some time now…..Indeed Nice ! design

# August 10, 2009 at 07:21

moun says:

Interesting. But finally the books become decoration while losing function.

# August 10, 2009 at 07:40

Juni says:

Awesome. Don’t agree with Moun comment. Books are definately at the center of this work. It’s made with it and for it. great work.

# August 10, 2009 at 08:30

Gatz says:

Oh!!

# August 10, 2009 at 09:08

pr says:

I´ve been there and it´s great, very well designed. It´s impossible not to touch the books. I felt like a child in a candy shop…

# August 10, 2009 at 09:22

Tarp says:

That’s a bookstore!

# August 10, 2009 at 09:34

josep says:

Beautiful work! This kind of work will make me go to the library all the time, is warm is inviting is absolutely great!
Love the both the interiors and the exterior facade
Excellent work!

# August 10, 2009 at 09:48

Tuf-Pak says:

I love it.

Is there a chance we can see some plans and sections?

# August 10, 2009 at 10:00

Tuf-Pak, try this link:

http://www.arcoweb.com.br/interiores/isay-weinfeld-livraria-sao-21-09-2007.html

clic on “plantas, cortes e fachadas” (which means “plans, sections e elevations” in portuguese)

# August 10, 2009 at 10:22

Thanks for the tip, pr.

# August 28, 2009 at 03:11

StructureHub Blog says:

Fantastic space! Two things are particularly striking: (1) unlike most other bookstores I’ve seen, this one does not hang books on freestanding shelving units, instead placing them on shelves that hug every interior surface that would exist even if the books weren’t there. This seems to accentuate the overall form of the interior – for instance, the circular opening and outer envelope of each space have greater depth and texture. In fact, despite keeping the middle areas open for circulation and lounging, the store seems just as full of books as one without any open floor space.

And those rotating display-wall units in the front are perfect for drawing people into the store. Most bookstores are walled off from outside with little more than a plate-glass display window cluttered with cardboard; here, the entrance is even more permeable, despite offering even more display space. A definite, bravo.

# August 10, 2009 at 12:09

Alexandre says:

Could the technical facts be posted as well?
I mean, just as the other projects have their list of client, contractor, architect, etc.
It´s good to see Brazillian architecture get some exposure on the web.
Very nice work Leonardo!!

# August 10, 2009 at 12:16

mark says:

oh and wow are good but there did not seem to be any construct for social interact that you see in some places in n.a. and europe.the size 0f the place is enought to make you want to run away!

# August 10, 2009 at 19:55

tropicalismo360 says:

inspiring!

# August 10, 2009 at 20:37

john says:

…but i want to touch the books that are in the circle…. how?

# August 10, 2009 at 21:04

Richiee Phan says:

wao, wonderful.

# August 10, 2009 at 22:46

vP says:

This is too good…simplistic and very good interplay between books and architectural spaces…

# August 10, 2009 at 23:53

imagine says:

the gate is great…!!!

# August 11, 2009 at 05:10

joninberlin says:

Thats what I call maximizing shelf surface. Great project!

# August 11, 2009 at 09:49

nikola says:

great design!
I do not agree with
arguments that book’s
loose their function

# August 12, 2009 at 03:44

Alan says:

This book shop looks magical, as all book shops should.

# August 12, 2009 at 09:32

OK, I must admit I like this design. Maybe I made the definition of book’s function a little narrow. In other word, the design develops book’s function, which is for attracting someone to go into the bookshop, not for reading.

# August 12, 2009 at 14:40

sarah says:

I have visited that bookstore! It’s amazing. My friend’s boyfriend designed it.

# August 19, 2009 at 19:42

bediha says:

I would read smt there :)

# August 26, 2009 at 10:35

matt says:

This is an amazing library. Isay Weinfeld is an extraordinary and original architec too. Nice work

# September 24, 2009 at 05:55

la-petite-louve says:

I love this bookstore, but I don’t live in Brazil ! Isay Weinfield, do you want to work in France ??

# September 26, 2009 at 12:08

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# December 21, 2010 at 16:57

9:03 PM Jul 9th

Judith Lee

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5:27 AM Sep 6th

豬小草｜印象中是個帥哥

Livraria da Vila / Isay Weinfeld | ArchDaily http://t.co/IbpZYG1 via @archdaily （一家開在巴西聖保羅的書店） #fb

6:53 AM Sep 6th

souhim

RT @swpave Livraria da Vila / Isay Weinfeld | ArchDaily http://t.co/IbpZYG1 via @archdaily （一家開在巴西聖保羅的書店） #fb

9:01 AM Sep 6th

scala at brighton