Arc Booktower by Rintala Eggertsson

Photography: Pasi Aalto

With Arc Booktower project at Victora & Albert Museum, Rintala Eggertsson architects wanted to offer information of the biodiversity on our planet. Lined with the existing pillars, a free-standing wooden structure was placed in staircase hall corner, this bookshelf/library offered visitors a chance to choose an interesting book and withdraw to a peaceful space in centre of the tower. Inside the reading space will be installed a reading light. This light will shine outwards through the structure, casting scattered light on the surrounding gallery walls, inviting readers like night lantern lures moths.

Each floor can have a different literate theme. The books are second-hand/ recycled/ would be otherwise destroyed, and will be collected from publishers, libraries and universities during 2009/2010. Each visitor can take one book with so that the installation is stripped to a bare structure in the course of the exhibition, and people will have a lasting memory / souvenir of the work. This installation is made of wood, pre-cut in another location and installed on site.

Outside only white paper, wood as well, is shown of the books, creating a unified wall surface. Interior is a contrasting collage of colors, titles and themes. To learn of the contents of the books, one has to enter the tower.