Ici Librairie, the independent bookstore that opened last month in Paris, spans more than 53,000 square feet and includes a café, children's area, exhibition space and "an agora (originally the central public spaces in ancient Greek cities) for people to gather and exchange opinions," designboom reported. Studio Briand & Berthereau's design for the space "feels fluid and lightweight due to a layout of clear and pure shapes which are combined with simple and durable design elements."
" 'Less is more' is the philosophy we applied to our work during this whole adventure," said Studio Briand & Berthereau, which was responsible for the architecture, visual identity and signage of ICI.
"A natural palette composed of terracotta, rough concrete and wood binds the different spaces of the bookstore together, along with a chevron ceramic floor whose stoneware slates combine various colors and get more dense around the main parts of the shop," designboom wrote, adding that the designers "used natural beech wood for the book displays of the store, which include large shelves and modular tables fixed on wheels to move whenever a special event takes place. metal stands attached to the tables are used to highlight the latest book releases, while shelves underneath offer plenty of storage space."