The eighth Zhongshu store opened in Suzhou at the base of a multi-storey building. The architects have divided the interior into four distinct functional areas, giving each a poetic image.
The entrance hall, where the novelties are located, is called the "Sanctuary of Crystal": the white interior of glass blocks and mirrors seems immaterial; Therefore, the attention is immediately drawn to multi-colored books on stands made of transparent acrylic polymer.
The next room, Firefly Cave, is opposite a dark tunnel with glowing fiber optic curtains. It contains publications recommended for purchase: with them, readers can go further, to the main hall - "Rainbow Xanadu" or "Rainbow Paradise on Earth".
It has shelving, armchairs and reading tables, large windows that provide natural light, and varying floor levels. But the main thing is aluminum perforated panels with smooth outlines, painted in different colors of the rainbow, with subtle transitions between shades. Their density, tone and shape change, creating a complex, indefinite and at the same time attractive space. In the dark, the illuminated rainbow interior is clearly visible from the outside, drawing attention to the store.
Another interior area is the Castle of Innocence, a children's room bounded by white ETFE resin walls.
