‘curiosity go spherical’: a bookcase to wander round and in, discover and work together

‘curiosity go round’: when design meets functionality 

‘curiosity go round’ is a multi-functional piece of furniture that can host up to 2,500 books. designed by the architect keigo kobayashi, this floor-to-ceiling bookcase emerges as a sculpture, arousing curiosity and creativity. its body is articulated by undulating boards stacked on top of each other, creating storage for books and other similar items. meanwhile, some of the slabs are extruded, to form single or bigger tables, standing desks, and benches.all images by creative project base

a gathering space for young and old

japan-based company creative project base (see more here) has commissioned the architect keigo kobayashi to design a bookcase. they asked for a circular volume that invites people to wander around and in, explore, discover and interact. a volume where curiosity circulates and stimulates new ideas. ‘I want a bookshelf that can hold all the books I have now. also, I want to make it a place where I can come up with ideas by myself.’  and that’s how this bookshelf was born.

since yesterday, the company has started selling this tailor-made furniture, seeing it in various environments: from working places to schools. the main concept behind — as its name itself reveals — is to tickle people’s curiosity to the fullest. as the company mentioned, ‘it’s a bookshelf, a desk, a table, a room, and also storage. after installation, many people visited, picked up books, read, talked, came up with ideas, and many creative activities became more active.’

can store about 2000 to 2500 books (calculated with an average of about 3 cm per book)

extended shelf board serves as a bench