Monday, October 27, 2008

2,000th post: bookshop in a greenhouse

I've been wondering how to celebrate Shedworking's 2,000th post and I can't think of any shedworking atmosphere better than this, a bookshop in a greenhouse. Designed by Joshua Wright of Shed 54, it's part of The Wapping Project, a contemporary art centre and restaurant run by Julia Wright. According to Lydia Fulton writing at Dazeddigital.com, the shop is in the Project's garden and stocks a wide range of titles on contemporary art, design, architecture and photography, all on metal bookshelves and, nice touch this, next to terracotta pots filled with cabbages and heather. It will also host book launches, readings and workshops. Julia Wright is quoted as saying:
"As an only child I lived in my books and still have every one of them. I also ran a shop in a dis-used hen house at the bottom of our ramshackle back yard where I sold jars of soapy water to myself and imagined who I would be. Now I’ve made a tiny glass bookshop with a coal fire, selling the most beautiful books, where everyone can browse and imagine who they might become, while others watch them through the glass and imagine who they are.”
Thanks to shedworker Patricia Debney for the alert

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5 comments:

  1. Congratulations Alex, that is some milestone!
    I reckon you deserve some sort of honour 'For service beyond the call of duty to the world of sheds'.
    Here's to the next 2,000!
    John
    secrets-of-shed-building.com

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  2. Congratulations indeed for the 2,000th post!

    Not sure about a bookshop in a greenhouse though - from a practical point of view, what about the cold/damp affecting the books - even with a coal fire a greenhouse is not good at keeping heat in, and from an ecological perspective, it'll take huge amounts of energy to keep it warm.

    Better to use the greenhouse for what it's best at - growing plants and have the books and people in a more suitable environment. Well that's my opinion!

    Martin

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  3. Congratulations Alex.
    Love the greenhouse. Must find more shed shops. When I was little one of the neighbours sold veggies from his shed (which is understandable). I loved a little shed in Cheshire that sold herbs and aromatherapy gifts. We have a book shop in a shed in Scotland's famous booktown, of course.
    Love them!

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  4. Anonymous1:17 PM

    Congratulations on Number 2000!!!You are so prolific, Alex. And every post is inspiring to read, giving me a new view of my favorite subject - sheds! I love this greenhouse bookstore. She is a kindred spirit. Here's to you and your next 1,000 posts,
    cheers, Debra Prinzing

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  5. Anonymous5:36 PM

    I'd be interested to know how other people have solved the issue of humidity. I don't want to see all my equipment gathering rust and like Martin I've concerns about those books too.

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