Apartamento Riachuelo / 0E1 Arquitetos. Image © Marcelo Donadussi
Sharing your shelf is, in a way, sharing yourself. Every element – from the titles you choose to the way you organize them – says something about your personality and your interests.
Images of bookcases have become explosively popular online in recent years, tapping into trends around hygge and #architectureporn. Who wouldn’t want to cozy up in a library filled with dusty books and lush plants? But these images typically present bookcases just as a decorative element, superfluous to the actual design of the space.
Like many things, when architects take on the design of bookcases they can become so much more: recessed and hidden, cantilevered, patterned, embedded…the list goes on! We’ve rounded up some of the finest examples of bookcases that combine practicality with ingenuity. Read on for more:
Maria Carolina / Sub Estúdio + Pedro Ivo Freire + Flávia Torres
Maria Carolina / Sub Estúdio + Pedro Ivo Freire + Flávia Torres. Image © Tomás Cytrynowicz
Casa DL / URBAstudios
Casa DL / URBAstudios. Image © Joao Morgado
CZ7 Loft / 5ft2 Studio
CZ7 Loft / 5ft2 Studio. Image © Sonia Mangiapane and Peik Li Pang
Greville Road Studio / Syte Architects
Greville Road Studio / Syte Architects. Image © James Morris
Eaves House / mA-style architects
Eaves House / mA-style architects. Image © Kai Nakamura
The Long Brick House / Foldes Architects
The Long Brick House / Foldes Architects. Image © Levente Sirokai
Bookshelf House / Shinsuke Fujii Architects
Bookshelf House / Shinsuke Fujii Architects. Image © Tsukui Teruaki
Lincoln Roof Extension / Notan Office
Lincoln Roof Extension / Notan Office. Image © Maxime Delvaux
Photographer’s Loft / Desai Chia Architecture
Photographer’s Loft / Desai Chia Architecture. Image © Paul Warchol Photography
Architect’s Workshop / Ruetemple
Architect's Workshop / Ruetemple. Image courtesy of Ruetemple
Casa Ortega / Estudio A0
Casa Ortega / Estudio A0. Image © Sebastián Crespo
CRID San Miguel Capiata / OCA
CRID San Miguel Capiata / OCA. Image © Federico Cairoli
Casa da Escrita / Joao Mendes Ribeiro
casa da escrita / joao mendes ribeiro. Image © do mal o menos
CY Residence / Kedem Shinar Design & Architecture
CY Residence / Kedem Shinar Design & Architecture. Image ©Amit Geron
Casa Bacopari / Una Arquitetos
Casa Bacopari / Una Arquitetos. Image © Leonardo Finotti
SlrSrf / Open Source Architecture
SlrSrf / Open Source Architecture. Image © Benny Chan / Fotoworks
Estudio Mike / Daniel Moreno Flores + Margarida Marques
Estudio Mike / Daniel Moreno Flores + Margarida Marques. Image © Federico Kulekdjian
Casa Varanda / Modo Designs
Casa Varanda / Modo Designs. Image © Bharat Aggarwal
Apartamento Terracota / AR Arquitetos
Apartamento Terracota / AR Arquitetos. Image © Maira Acayaba
Little House Big City / Office of Architecture
Little House Big City / Office of Architecture. Image ©Matthew Williams
Apartamento Sacadura Cabral / Morim Santos Silva Arquitectos
Apartamento Sacadura Cabral / Morim Santos Ailva Arquitectos. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
House in Takatsuki / FujiwaraMuro Architects
House in Takatsuki / FujiwaraMuro Architects. Image © Toshiyuki Yano
Flinders Lane Apartment / Clare Cousins Architects
Flinders Lane Apartment / Clare Cousins Architects. Image © Lisbeth Grosmann
Casa em Estoril / TARGA atelier
Casa em Estoril / TARGA atelier. Image © Francisco Nogueira
Apartamento Santos Dumont / Ateliê de Arquitetura
Apartamento Santos Dumont / Ateliê de Arquitetura. Image © André Nazareth
Chameleon Villa / Word of Mouth House
Chameleon Villa / Word of Mouth House. Image Courtesy of Word of Mouth House
Paulista Apartment / Triptyque
Paulista Apartment / Triptyque. Image © Roberto Wagner
Casa Lopera / David Ruiz Molina
Casa Lopera / David Ruiz Molina. Image © David Frutos
Flat Renovation for a Photographer / Alia Bengana
Flat Renovation for a Photographer / Alia Bengana. Image ©V.Vincenzo
House 1101 / H-arquitectes
House 1101 / H-arquitectes. Image © Adrià Goulà
TRN / JRKVC
TRN /JRKVC. Image © Peter Jurkovič
Earth Box / Equipo de Arquitectura
Earth Box / Equipo de Arquitectura. Image © Leonardo Mendez
House Savukvartsi / Honkarakenne
House Savukvartsi / Honkarakenne. Image courtesy of Honkarakenne
Casa no Jardim Paulistano / GrupoSP
Casa no Jardim Paulistano / Grupo SP. Image © Nelson Kon
Loft Space in Camben / Craft Space
Loft Space in Camben / Craft Space. Image © Armando Elias
Haffenden House / PARA
Haffenden House / PARA. Image © Nathan Rader
House for Booklovers and Cats / BFDO Architects
House for Booklovers and Cats / BFDO Architects. Image © Francis Dzikowski
Kobiler House / Architextit- Einat Erez-Kobiler
Kobiler House / Architextit-Einat Erez-Kobiler. Image © Hagar Doppelt
Harcombe / forresterarchitects
Harcombe / forresterarchitects Image © Adam Scott
Casa GMG / Pedro Gadanho
Casa GMG / Pedro Gadanho. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
Casa Sumaré / Isay Weinfeld
Casa Sumaré / Isay Weinfeld. Image © Nelson Kon
Loft no Itaim / FGMF Arquitetos
Loft no Itaim / FGMF Arquitetos. Image © Fran Parente
Apartamento Pamplona / Zoom Urbanismo Arquitetura e Design
Apartamento Pamplona / Zoom Urbanismo Arquitetura e Design. Image © Maíra Acayaba
Apartamento Riachuelo / 0E1 Arquitetos
Sursock Apartment / platau
Sursock Apartment / platau. Image © Wissam Chaaya
Lishin Elementary School Library / TALI DESIGN
Lishin Elementary School Library / TALI DESIGN. Image © Hey! Cheese
Apartment at Luciano Cordeiro / Aurora Arquitectos
Apartamento na Luciano Cordeiro / Aurora Arquitectos. Image © do mal o menos
Espace St-Denis / Anne Sophie Goneau
Espace St-Denis / Anne Sophie Goneau. Image ©Adrien Williams
Casa no Morro do Querosene / StudioGP
Casa no Morro do Querosene / gruposp. Image © Nelson Kon
ZTUDIO / mfrmgr
ZTUDIO / mfrmgr. Image © Grzegorz Sztybel
BHMM House / Estudio JI Arquitectos
BHMM House / Estudio JI Arquitectos. Image © Mariela Apollonio
Casa Tetris / Studio MK27
Casa Tetris / Studio MK27. Image © Fernando Guerra | FG+SG
Shelf-Pod / Kazuya Morita Architecture Studio
Shelf-Pod / Kazuya Morita Architecture Studio. Image © Shinichi Watanabe
GAD 511 / Patrícia Martinez Arquitetura
GAD 511 / Patrícia Martinez Arquitetura. Image © Fran Parente
Own House / Metaforma
Own House / Metaforma. Image © PION Fotografia
Casa Librería / Shinichi Ogawa & Associates
Casa Librería / Shinichi Ogawa & Associates. Image courtesy of Shinichi Ogawa & Associates
Casa Juranda / Apiacas Arquitetos
Casa Juranda / Apiacas Arquitetos. Image © Pregnolato & Kusuki Estúdio Fotográfico
Cotia Library Garden / IPEA
Cotia Library Garden / IPEA. Image © Dalton Bertini Ruas
Bookshelf House / Andrea Mosca Creative Studio
Bookshelf House / Andrea Mosca Creative Studio. Image courtesy of Andrea Mosca Creative Studio
Tower House / Austin Maynard Architects
Tower House / Austin Maynard Architects. Image © Peter Bennetts
Casa Scout / BAAG
Casa Scout / BAAG. Image © Courtesy of BAAG
Apartamento POSSAMAI / Sbardelotto Arquitetura + Atelier Aberto Arquitetura
Apartamento POSSAMAI / Sbardelotto Arquitetura + Atelier Aberto Arquitetura. Image © Marcelo Donadussi
HOUSE 3/6 in Dongducheon / Y GROUP
HOUSE 3/6 in Dongducheon / Y GROUP. Image © Namsun Lee