by: Jessica Sheridan Assoc. AIA LEED AP
Last week the Van Alen Institute opened Van Alen Books, a pop-up bookstore on 22nd Street designed by LOT-EK. Taxi cab yellow, the small storefront demands attention on the street, boldly stating that the era of the bookstore is not dead! What is most interesting to me about the space is that it seems to signify a shift in the typology.
Van Alen Books is very small, a step up from a magazine stand. Everything about the space reinforces browsing — it feels like a place to temporarily stop in, rather than linger for prolonged periods of time. A “stair” built from suspended doors provides seating, but it is far from lounge furniture. The bright yellow, while attention grabbing, is jarring if one stays in the store for too long. There is a reading room with additional stock on the sixth floor, so seeking out a place to relax isn’t too difficult, but Van Alen Books is not your typical bookstore where spending hours flipping through books at a leisurely pace is encouraged.
We live in a time of instant gratification and attention deficit disorders, and Van Alen Books reinforces the trend. I am very excited about the bookstore, and I am looking forward to visiting frequently… and fleetingly.