Design: Begum Seckin
Visualization: Begum Seckin
Project: Frankestayn Independent Bookstore
Area: 140 m2
Challenges:
1.Historical Building
2. Limited Structural Intervention
3.Leased Property
4. Ten Thousand Books
5.Heating and Ventilation
6. Queer Concept
The Frankeştayn Bookstore project stands out as one of the most gratifying endeavors throughout my professional journey. This sentiment stems from my personal affinity for books and bookstores, where I often find solace and spend extended periods of time. Hence, in this project, I approached the design process from both the perspective of a designer and a visitor, ensuring a comprehensive and thoughtful approach. The structure earmarked for conversion into a bookstore was the entrance and basement of a historic building in Tophane, Istanbul, dating back over a century. Given the building's age, a thorough review and rectification of all utilities, from electrical to plumbing, were imperative. Additionally, being a leased property, the scope for interventions was considerably restricted. Another significant factor shaping the design was the bookstore’s aim to cater to queer individuals and break down LGBT+Q barriers, thus serving as a boutique bookstore for marginalized members of society. In this context, everything from the book collection to the colours and accessories used in the design, and even the logo and name of the bookstore, were meticulously crafted to reflect this vision.
For commercial purposes, a small café was integrated into the bookstore, necessitating a layout plan within structural constraints. The placement of the café on a mezzanine level was dictated by utility considerations, thereby ensuring a clear separation between the café and the book collection. Bookshelves were meticulously designed, taking into account standard book dimensions, shelf measurements, and human ergonomics. A noteworthy feature of the bookshelves is their versatility, as they can be converted into seating units during discussion and event sessions, equipped with integrated radiators.
To maximize the bookstore's capacity within a relatively compact space and maintain the bookstore collection at its fullest, all available nooks and crannies within the structure were left intact and repurposed thoughtfully. Drawing inspiration from the sole reference project provided by the client, Libreria London, I integrated reading areas among the storage units.
For the café located on the mezzanine level, durable and long-lasting materials were selected, with particular attention given to the coffee machines. Additionally, a modern and queer touch was introduced to the design with the inclusion of pink neon lights featuring a slogan. Lastly, at the rear facade, an underutilized veranda space was transformed into a bespoke seating area crafted from durable, water-resistant teak wood and metal.
The small veranda located at the back of the building was designed as an open seating area, just like the front façade. It is also the only place where visitors are allowed to smoke. The seating units and coffee tables chosen here were specially designed by me because the back veranda is a very small area, 2 square meters in size.
