Nomadic Bookstore

“Never have I found myself so at ease as in this nomadic bookstore, open to all.” When the person speaking is Jasper Morrison, a designer always parsimonious with his words, he must be believed. The bookstore in question is an elegant kiosk designed by the students of the AA Museum Lab, Diploma Unit of the prestigious London AA, for Swiss publisher Lars Müller and set up in Piazza San Marco, at the entrance to the Fuorisalone Brera district.

The roof is a “flying” book covered with LED screens that project a selection of titles by the Swiss publisher onto the urban panorama. Inside, the pavilion mainly uses panels of fine-grain cork which, with its diamond shaped ashlar ceiling, guarantees a uniform exhibition space and soundproofing, facilitated by the collaboration and confidence of Portuguese firm Granorte as well as the students’ own crowdfunding.

I am convinced that traditional publishing will survive the digital advancement,” explains Lars Müller. “The Nomadic bookstore takes books to people and is the ideal combination of the digital and traditional publishing worlds.” The pavilion project was selected by an international jury from proposals by the 11 students of the AA Museum Lab course. Directed by Giulia Foscari with Harikleia Karamali and Ekaterina Golovatyuk, it helps students develop high-level conceptual research while at the same time “getting their hands dirty” with a real project.

Nomadic Bookstore
Design: AA Museum Lab
Design team: Adrian Ma, Arslan Arkallayev, Federica Sofia Zambeletti, George Fergusson, Linus Cheng, Lloyd Lee, Ludovica Cirillo, Martina Contento, Olympia Simopoulou, Sebastian Serzysko and Tyler Camille Bollier
Client: Lars Müller

4–9 April 2017
Nomadic Bookstore
piazza San Marco, Milan