"They crave experiences that are human": Is this algorithm and phone-free London space the future of bookshops?

This article originally appeared on Culture24.

A new bookshop in London aims to leave digital distractions behind and seize upon a perceived technological tipping point

“A reimagining of the bookshop” is how Rohan Silva, the co-founder of London entrepreneurial complex Second Home, describes Libreria, a sleekly-designed space where phones are banned in a “sanctuary” from the “bombardment” of life.

A bookshop, printing press and community space, this place, which opens on Thursday, draws on the time-honoured theme of The Library of Babel, with its design assigned to Spanish architectural practice Selgas Cano. The shelves will be broadly based around various suggested topics of conversation, including family, the sea and the sky, terror and refugees.

“We believe in the value of books and literature and have wanted to do this for a long time,” outlines Silva, who says the building has been “years in the making”.

“Across industries we are seeing a return to physical, material things and a fresh appreciation of craftsmanship. These things are not being killed by the digital – they are being given new life.

Algorithms and the tap of intrusive recommendations are also off-limits here. The idea is for visitors to make relatively random discoveries. “We’ve reached a cultural tipping point, I think, where people are becoming aware of the costs of being constantly digitally connected,” theorises Director Sally Davies.

“They crave experiences that are tangible, human, immersive. We’re bringing together the widest possible range of people, ideas, arts, crafts and disciplines.”

Guest curators will include Jeanette Winterson and sculptor Richard Wentworth, who might enjoy the hand-cut lines of the shelves, supervised by artists from the Slade School of Fine Art.

“They allow the categories to run horizontally and be layered - so a book of poetry might be displayed right above one on evolutionary psychology,” says co-founder Sam Aldenton, who believes the design expands the likelihood of “chance encounters”. “Niches are cut into the shelves where you can curl up with a book.”

• Libreria opens at 65 Hanbury Street, London on February 25 2016.

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Three places to find great books in

Pyle, Bridgend
A collection of more than 100,000 fiction and non-fiction books, developed over many years. Rediscover lost favourites and forgotten classics.

Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books, Newcastle
A treasure trove of original artwork and manuscripts which records the creative process involved in making a children's book and provides an insight into the working lives of authors and illustrators.

News from Nowhere, Liverpool
This 5-storey building is now owned by the Workers Co-operative which runs the bookshop as a not-for-profit community business, securing its future as an essential resource for the people of Liverpool.

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk/art/architecture-and-design/art547489-libreria-london-bookshop-robin-silva-second