Alexis bookshop and coffee bar 2010, Bratislava, Slovakia
cooperation: Plural
total floor area: 170m²

How can a small bookshop compete within a network of firmly established booksellers? What can it offer to customers? How can it draw attention? Our aim was to create a flexible space that would not only sell books but would also be capable of facilitating various collateral events such as projections, readings, gigs, etc. Two focal points of the bookshop are placed at both ends of the longitudinal space. A checkout is next to the entrance and a coffee bar is on the opposite side on an original elevated gallery. Both levels are connected with cascades which serve as an auditorium and allow customers to sit, read or relax. Books are stored in long shelves along both sides of the bookshop. By this means a clear oragnization and a monumental effect is achieved. New titles and bestsellers are displayed at several mobile stands. The permanent part of the program – storage, deposit, office and lavatory – are placed under the gallery and accessible via a staircase at the edge of the coffee bar and cascades.