[posted by James]
This is a former Dominican church that was transformed into a bookstore for booksellers Selexyz Dominicanen by architecture firm Merkx & Girod.
The store demanded 1,200 sq m of commercial area where only 750 were available.(via)
The initial idea of the client to install a second floor within the church was rejected by the designers, because this would completely destroy the spatial qualities of the church. The solution was found in the creation of a monumental walk-in bookcase spanning several floors and situated a-symmetrically in the church. In doing so the left side of the church remained empty while on the other side customers are lead upstairs in the three- storey ‘Bookflat.’
The ground floor gives room to several different book displays, information desks, magazine-stands and cash registers, all made of standard sheet materials in different colours and surfaces.
