The promise of modularity and infinite flexibility embodied by the more ideological projects from the 1960s has not only been long fulfilled, but thoroughly exploited by late capitalist culture. That may or may not be a good thing (probably not), but it’s a fact of contemporary existence that extends to every aspect of our lives. Except, it seems, to our staid, stubbornly Cartesian bookshelves. Enter this modular shelving system, a set of interconnected and expandable crates which grows with your book and publication collection.

The units, made of bamboo and connected with circular pegs, can be pulled and manipulated to form several configurations, can be angled or laid flat, and can be combined with other sets.  Designed by Andrew Gancikov and John Fitzpatrick, the system can quickly co-opt your living room, especially in the hands of an architect, who will sacrifice space for this trophy case of oversized monographs and mounds of unread philosophy or economic tomes, until checked by financial realities (one set is $350). The bookshelf is available at the MoMA store.

[via CoolMaterial]

by Samuel Medina

posted in Uncategorized

tagged books, bookshelf, design, flexibility, modular, moma

more articles by Samuel Medina