Jingwen Zhou

196A Piccadilly was originally built as a bank designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the early 1920s. Piccadilly is an iconic area of central London with a flourishing community of sophisticated galleries, traditional outfitters, independent shops and expensive restaurants. In the second half of the eighteenth century this area was a centre for booksellers and publishing houses.  Recent technological developments have posed a threat to the traditional book but it would appear there is still an appetite for beautifully presented volumes.

The project proposes an art bookshop that will provide customers with a peaceful haven in which to enjoy the books away from the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area.

The focal point of the scheme is a central ‘stairplace’ that is inserted in the existing volume to provide access to a new mezzanine gallery whilst also defining an events space where newly published books can be promoted.

The detail of the scheme utilises a combination of sophisticated and simple materials: leather, brass, ash and terrazzo are complimented by more straightforward materials such as Valchromat. The manner in which these materials are combined together is inspired by the work of Carlo Scarpa.