PUBLIC DESIGN
The Pop-up Book Library
Client: Hong Kong Public Libraries LCSD
Completion: October 2021
Designed for the Hong Kong Public Libraries, the mobile pop-up book travels to different local schools to promote the joy of reading to school children. Inspired by lift-a-flap, pop-up picture books, the design provides an interactive experience for children. The colourful compartments hidden inside the box, surprise children and reveal the books as they unbox.
Books are a uniquely portable magic
Transformable, transportable and compact, the mobile library expands to create an intimate space, with pulled out seatings and kinder-boxes for hosting events such as story-telling and book clubs at the school.
In Hong Kong, not all primary schools have their own libraries. Under-privileged school children may not have easy access to popular and good-condition books, hindering their opportunity to nurture good reading habits from a young age.
In view of this, our studio took on the challenge to design the Pop-up Book Library. Inspired by a "lift-a-flap, pop-up picture book", the design provides an interactive experience for children. It travels to different schools, welcoming those in need to the world of reading.
Transformable, transportable, and compact, a teacher can easily manoeuvre the cart with the handle, thanks to the wheels installed at the bottom. Yet it is spacious enough to store about 150 picture books to serve a class of students. Driven by curiosity the children would walk up to the colour whale-shaped pop-up book, open its body, only to discover many smaller fishes swallowed by the whale, outlined in abstraction and vibrant colours, displaying books in different sizes.
The Pop-up book expands to create an intimate space. Children can easily take the lids off the shelves and place them onto the floor, turning them into seating and kinder-boxes. Story-telling events and reading workshops can be held around it. After the events the mobile library is locked away and again, travels to other schools in need.
The design provides an interactive experience for children, encouraging school children to nurture their early love for books.
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