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“Perfect” Redefined
For years, I held a romanticised vision of the perfect library I might one day own. It would be a place where books are neatly arranged on tall shelves, each bathed in a warm backlight. Beside the shelves sits a deep whiskey couch where I would read and re-read in comfort. But my visit to the Singapore Art Museum last week completely overturned my idea of what a “perfect library” could be.
Designing for Serendipity
In this digital-first era, you don’t head straight to a library shelf if you want a title. You would start by searching for the title online, and have it delivered to you either as an e-book or you reserve the hardcopy. This changes what a library is for. The purpose of walking into the library is to be surprised; to stumble upon something you were not looking for.
The Library of Unread Books - a travelling social art installation by Heman Chong and Renée Staal, was perfectly designed for that purpose.
- Horizonal, Not Vertical
Books were stacked horizontally in loose piles on low, flat tables. The titles could be read at a glance, without the awkward head-tilt that vertical spines demand. Everything sat at a single height, so one sweep of the eyes revealed the full landscape of choice. The tables were perfectly sized, at about 110 × 67 cm —not too wide, not too narrow—just right for seeing and reaching every book.
- U-shaped clusters
The tables were placed to form U-shaped clusters, allowing you to sit in the centre and reach for books on either side without moving more than an arm’s length. If a book didn’t hold your attention, you could quickly return it and pick up another. The design made it frictionless to engage with the books. As a result, I stayed longer than I expected, flipping through far more books than I would in a traditional library.
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My thoughts
As I left for the day, I found myself wishing installations like this could be placed in public spaces to encourage reading.
Many people tell me, almost with pride, “I don’t read anymore,” choosing instead to consume mostly bite-sized content. It’s a loss, because books let you sink deeper into a subject in a way you simply can’t rush. For those who don’t read—whatever the reason—an installation like this lowers the barrier. You can sit and browse without commitment, without ever stepping into a traditional library you’ve already decided you’ll never visit.
If you came across it by chance, would you pick up a book?