Motivated by the post from the publisher's offices Suhrkamp that we published last week, today we want to review different types of shelves and bookcases that adapt to the needs of the modern offices. Although it is true that, in this digitalized era, paper has lost a lot of presence, there are economic activities that require extensive storage areas for books and catalogues, not only publishers, but also law firms, architecture and design studios, communication agencies, etc. It must be taken into account that the bookcases and shelves They not only serve to house books, but also records, CD movies, ornaments, awards or trophies, and countless objects, both ornamental and functional, which is why these pieces of furniture are made essential.

Wall bookcase furniture with bottom

This type of furniture, which is usually modular, It is the most common office design, thanks to its versatility. Each module consists of 4-6 shelves, which can be alternated with other accessory pieces, such as magazine racks, cabinets, etc Without a doubt, it is the most used design for storing books, since they provide great visual organization and can be expanded depending on space and needs. For certain types of books and objects, it is necessary that they have a sheet of background plywood, to prevent objects from falling.

The Alexandria Bookstore by Limobel Inwo

A good example of a bookcase with these characteristics is the model Alexandria, de Limobel Inwo, since it offers a block structure that adapts easily to spaces, and allows zone spaces and literary content.

It is made up of a structure with a tube that supports the weight and provides firmness to the whole, and composed of melamine laminated chipboard or laminated steel sheet. It can be manufactured entirely in wood or metal, or combine the two materials in a chipboard structure with metal components. In addition, it has a wide variety of accessories such as newspaper holders, bookends and CD holders. The structure has ergonomic measures focused on all types of users.

Integrated and tailored design

Although the variety of bookcases and shelves of the market allows you to choose almost exactly the colors, materials and finishes of the ideal bookcase for each work space, some interior designers design custom bookcases and with the same qualities as the rest of the furniture. The result is very homogeneous spaces, where the entire complex is perfectly harmonized, following the same aesthetic line. In these cases, the work of design, joinery and installation Logically, it is more complex and requires a larger budget. The advantage is that doors, tables and other pieces of furniture can go in consonance with the bookcases, as well as hardware, profiles and other decorative details.

Bookcases built into the wall

Another trend that we frequently see in office spaces are embedded libraries on walls or embedded in walls. However, this is an optical effect, since it is not that a hole is made in the wall, but rather that the bookcase is plastered, for which you have to gain the 30 or 40 cm necessary to the width of the space. Refering to length that must be left between the shelves, logically depends on the type of volume that is going to be stored. For standard books, it is usually left between 25-35cm, but for larger luxury specimens, you may need up to 60 cm. 

Exempt bookstores

In reality, few bookcase designs can be completely free-standing, without having any anchor on the wall. We call these types of bookcases exempt, without a bottom, whose supports are attached through screws in the wall or they carry crossheads which gives them more stability. It is of utmost importance that the shelf always has a solid anchor to the wall, since the weight of the books can overcome the entire structure.

Freestanding shelving with crossbar

Atlas It is a very versatile model of Limobel Inwo, light in appearance as it does not have a bottom, which, however, is solid and stable, since it is designed to support weight. Manufactured in multiple formats and finishes, They can be configured depending on the needs of the project. It is composed of a metallic structure 1.5 mm thick laminated steel on the sides, welded by continuous wire welding. The Racks They are made of 0.8 mm thick cold rolled steel sheet. Furthermore, it carries crossheads Reinforcement at the bottom to support greater weight.
One of its most notable features is the trim sides that hide the side profiles of the structure, and that serve as support for books and magazines.

NHB free-standing bookcase with modules

The bookstores of Limobel Inwo they are characterized by their versatility and variety of options, which allow you to create almost custom designs.

This is the case of the NHB modular bookcase, with multiple composition possibilities. With a minimalist design and timeless style, this model never goes out of style. The wide variety of the series allows you to combine the bookcase with cabinets and tables NHB creating a completely harmonious and elegant space.  

Su structure of blocks allows the bookcase to be adapted to the space. It is manufactured with load-resistant and medium-weight chipboard, 25 mm thick, covered with a layer of melamine available in a wide variety of colors and professional finishes. The entire structure is edged with 2 mm PVC, which beautifies the finish and gives it a clean and minimal look.

Bookcase and shelf in one

the innovative 2020 series de modular shelves de Limobel Inwo It is inspired by the geometric shapes and repetition of patterns of the great artist. Piet Mondrian. Its main feature is its ability to modulate between components and structure, which gives rise to infinite compositions, bringing color, design and avant-garde to the space. It is made up of a metallic structure manufactured that create the skeleton of the shelf. Each side is made up of 1.5 mm thick and 20x20 mm metal tubes (hence the name of the 2020 series). These measures provide a notable stability to the structure. The shelf 2020 has a good number of storage components with hinged doors or drawers with push system opening and closing damping.

Shelving shelves

Another popular option is shelves, whether metal or wood. The system of shelves, anchored to the wall by brackets or hidden screws, generally on a rail (photo below), offers a very light, leaving the bottom of the wall free. In these cases it is very important to know what its function is going to be and the type of objects it is going to house, because It doesn't always hold a lot of weight. The square ones, of course, depend on the number of supports it has. In the case of the photo above, it is noted that they have placed a square every 60-80 cm, to give it more stability to the board. Another aspect of utmost importance is its placement, since it must be perfect and thorough, because the symmetry and linearity It is the most attractive thing about this system. 

Grid libraries

As you can imagine, the variety of bookcase and shelf designs It is immeasurable. But we want to stop at the grids, a system of bookstores, almost always custom-made, that have a great visual impact. Here we show you two examples. The one above, a perfect grid on the blue background from the wall, creates a very clean and attractive optical effect. And below, the same grid but in diagonal, which forms rhomboidal cubes on the wall, a very original system, although we do not know if it is very practical in the long run.

Photos via SnapShotOffice