In the background of the randomly standing neon lights, hurried pedestrians cross the street from one side to the other side, from one block to another block in a busy city. From bird's-eye view, these street are crowded with pedestrians and vehicles, only the zebra crossings stand still to offer escort and guidance. Réel Mall is at a street corner filled with travelling and short stay, which is located at the centre of Shanghai - Jing’an district. Zhongshuge is at the end of the 4th floor of Réel Mall.
On the 4th floor, the iconic glass wall with text of Zhongshuge welcome every reader. It is dimly visible that the quiet halo with white and grey colors comes out through the gap of the glass wall. Enter this bookstore, it is obvious to find out that the story Zhongshuge is related to zebra crossing. This is the main element that this Zhongshuge wants to express, which is also a microcosm of busy Shanghai. The plain concrete represents the color of city road. There are painted white zebra crossing linking to the book tables, which give clear guidance to the path between book stables. On the wall, it is fully covered with white circular tubes. Each of the white circular tubes spread over the wall are telescopic freely, in this way, different array patterns could be formed with tubes flexibility. When this flexible design acts as book shelves, it also reflects the quick changed social status quo. During this space, readers seem to have entered into a city space where there is no heavy traffic, but only quiet “roads and zebra crossings” and mountains of books on the tables. Zebra crossing is like books that accompany readers growth. Getting the correct guidance at the right time, which is the spiritual connection between books and readers is thus expressed.
There is a long corridor for leisure reading in this space with a long row of park benches. The bookshelves are placed at the two sides of the corridor, and there are street lamps at a regular distance from one another. This is not only a reading corridor but also an interior reading park. Walking slowly in the world of books, readers could sit on the chairs under the street lights and relax by reading favorite books. This is the reading environment that this space intended to create for readers.
Walking through the quiet park of books, the next part is the castle of books. A winding path gets through the 4 architecture-like bookshelves, which could bringing the reader with an experience of walking through a real city of books. Along the path, readers will notice that exterior walls of every “house” are built with bookshelves. On the wall there are big windows through which the interior of the “house” could be seen. From the inside of the “house”, readers will find out that the “houses” are book libraries with different themes of culture and art. The interior area of the 4 “houses” are very different, the small one is like a quiet study room while the big one could hold a small reading salon. Designers build a city with books. Different from the outside bustling streets, this place is a spiritual world where readers could communicate with authors quietly through the books. The width of the path between bookshelves is changing, and on this winding path, zebra crossings could be seen. This feeling likes walking in the centuries-old Shanghai streets where readers can feel the romance and mood of Shanghai.
The temptation of desire is very attractive to people, especially in Shanghai, which is a city with full of infinite desire and helplessness. Therefore, people who struggle within this desire city eager to find a quiet place rest body and mind. Réel Mall Zhongshuge uses the concept of zebra crossing to penetrate and lead the plot of the story, which expresses the idea that under the busy and impetuous pace of city. Books, being a companion to life, is acting as association between all kinds of functions of the city and life.
In the background of the randomly standing neon lights, hurried pedestrians cross the street from one side to the other side, from one block to another block in a busy city. From bird's-eye view, these street are crowded with pedestrians and vehicles, only the zebra crossings stand still to offer escort and guidance. Réel Mall is at a street corner filled with travelling and short stay, which is located at the centre of Shanghai - Jing’an district. Zhongshuge is at the end of the 4th floor of Réel Mall.
On the 4th floor, the iconic glass wall with text of Zhongshuge welcome every reader. It is dimly visible that the quiet halo with white and grey colors comes out through the gap of the glass wall. Enter this bookstore, it is obvious to find out that the story Zhongshuge is related to zebra crossing. This is the main element that this Zhongshuge wants to express, which is also a microcosm of busy Shanghai. The plain concrete represents the color of city road. There are painted white zebra crossing linking to the book tables, which give clear guidance to the path between book stables. On the wall, it is fully covered with white circular tubes. Each of the white circular tubes spread over the wall are telescopic freely, in this way, different array patterns could be formed with tubes flexibility. When this flexible design acts as book shelves, it also reflects the quick changed social status quo. During this space, readers seem to have entered into a city space where there is no heavy traffic, but only quiet “roads and zebra crossings” and mountains of books on the tables. Zebra crossing is like books that accompany readers growth. Getting the correct guidance at the right time, which is the spiritual connection between books and readers is thus expressed.
There is a long corridor for leisure reading in this space with a long row of park benches. The bookshelves are placed at the two sides of the corridor, and there are street lamps at a regular distance from one another. This is not only a reading corridor but also an interior reading park. Walking slowly in the world of books, readers could sit on the chairs under the street lights and relax by reading favorite books. This is the reading environment that this space intended to create for readers.
Walking through the quiet park of books, the next part is the castle of books. A winding path gets through the 4 architecture-like bookshelves, which could bringing the reader with an experience of walking through a real city of books. Along the path, readers will notice that exterior walls of every “house” are built with bookshelves. On the wall there are big windows through which the interior of the “house” could be seen. From the inside of the “house”, readers will find out that the “houses” are book libraries with different themes of culture and art. The interior area of the 4 “houses” are very different, the small one is like a quiet study room while the big one could hold a small reading salon. Designers build a city with books. Different from the outside bustling streets, this place is a spiritual world where readers could communicate with authors quietly through the books. The width of the path between bookshelves is changing, and on this winding path, zebra crossings could be seen. This feeling likes walking in the centuries-old Shanghai streets where readers can feel the romance and mood of Shanghai.
The temptation of desire is very attractive to people, especially in Shanghai, which is a city with full of infinite desire and helplessness. Therefore, people who struggle within this desire city eager to find a quiet place rest body and mind. Réel Mall Zhongshuge uses the concept of zebra crossing to penetrate and lead the plot of the story, which expresses the idea that under the busy and impetuous pace of city. Books, being a companion to life, is acting as association between all kinds of functions of the city and life.
