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Sinan Books Poetry Store

Prize(s) Winners in Heritage Lighting
Company Gradient Lighting Design
Lead Designers Chenlu Zhang
Other Credits Architect: Ting Yu, Shengrui Pu
Completion Date 2018-2020
Project Location Shanghai, China
Entry Description

Built in 1932, St. Nicholas Church is an outstanding historical buildings in Shanghai. Now as the largest professional poetry bookstore in Shanghai, it offers 1000 poetry books in different languages. It should have an independent spirituality and not based on the religion of the old site. As a historical building renovation, no existing façade, structure, floor plan and distinctive decoration could be changed. “Church in church”, the steel bookstore and the old masonry church are interwoven without touched. Since the bookshelf has no back panel, the light from the dome can spill into the bookstore. A 2.5 meter diameter pendent with accent lights downward and linear light upward was used to provide the ambient light in the main lobby. 3000K warm light and the cool daylight have coexisted and contrasted in this holy while modern space. All the accent lights are located halfway on the shelf without disturbing the daylight penetration, while provide enough light for book display with proper aiming angle. Ingrade soft linear uplight was used to make the chocolate colored café a mild and cozy atmosphere, and pendent downlight were used to avoid glare at the mirror ceiling.