Arena for Books

A great welcome to all participants, I look forward to a successful process for the new project ARENA OF BOOKS and aim at providing you the best assistance! Best, David - Project Guide

welcome, David. I hope that you will not burn with us and our designers nagging :)

YEP! That is an exciting project!

My question would be what is wrong with an electronics store?

If electronics is the design image that the client wants to disassociate their patrons from, then almost everything visually resembling electronic goods will be a problem. It may not be the electronic store’s fault per se, but the stereotypical manpower that caters to them.

If there were clearer guidelines as to what visual aspect of the electronics store is eliciting negative reaction from the client, it would be better, so we can better appropriate the technology in our designs.

I agree with Alpha. I think we would all like clear guidance as to the use of electronic or digital devices in our designs. As I understand, the product should be non-electronic so that it can be touched and interacted with in the same way that a person would with a conventional printed book. It seems that any electronic device would be pointless when all you need use is a phone or tablet to view new digital book titles, even at a book fair. Visiting a major bookstore in London today, I found a table with touch screens very similar to those in an Apple store where you could freely browse for any book title that was on the store's database, in both print and digital format.

Hi @ll,

when reading David's and the jury's comments in the existing ideas I have a slight feeling - what I never had before in any other contest here on jovoto (maybe due to this very special task).

You (the jury) are in my eyes looking for a solution to bring analog customers closer to digital content - that's why you often point out a "subtly presentation", right? An analog customer is used to get analog content and - indeed - needs to be brought subtly closer to digital content.

But you (the anaolg bookshops) have already lost a tremendous amount of customers to the digital world (Amazon, Apple etc.) and (unfortunately) I'm one of them.

So, while I'm looking at your given task from the view of a digital customer (what do I expect from an analog bookshop to maybe go back to it?) you look at it from the view of an analog customer (what do our existing customers expect from analog bookshops and how can we bring them closer to digital content?).

What I really want to know and what I didn't get from the briefing is - do you rather want to get the analog customer closer to digital content or do you want to get the digital customer back to your analog bookshops?

I know, you'd love to have both ;) ... but honestly - what is more important for you? Imho answering this question would be a big step ahead for working on this contest.

Best, Eric

Dear All,

lets start an inspirational thread of inspiring links here. To fertilize our creativity and get even more to the point of creating outstanding aesthetic ideas of digital content made visible and tangible in a physical space.

• Here´s an interesting speech (unfortunetaly just in german) looking at books as "OperatingSystemBook" #OSbook - background information - speech on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rdVMO6dPXs#t=27 - speech on youtube - Most interesting here I think: "The experience of flow" – to sink into a story! • Here some hot and interesting quotes from the very long linked text – LET'S REINVENT THE BOOKSHOP in the briefing:

• Design on its own will not save the bookshop. The bookshop, as Gensler saw it, had to anticipate every sort of literary need, from grabbing a paperback or download, to relaxed browsing, personally tailored reading-lists, self-publishing, book clubs, author events and even an enhanced experience of reading a book in the bookish equivalent of a flotation tank.

• “People won’t go into a shop because the ceiling’s beautiful,” Jon Lee, 20.20’s creative director, told me. “They’ll go in because the experience is relevant to their lifestyle. It’s what you do in a space that’s really important.”

• A "shop would be called The Art of Storytelling."

• “Can you save the bookshop? Is there any point?” asks Phil Coffey cheerfully. He believes the digitisation of books will make bookshops redundant, but what can be saved is the cult of the book as a beautiful object.

• "the antithesis of an e-book emporium: niche, retro, social, inky, bibulous, but with only a few books to buy off the shelf."

• “Downloads will leave a vacuum for beautiful things,” Coffey argued. And he insisted his concept “is not a flight of fancy. The beauty of the written word will be something you want to cherish.” A cheering thought for any booksellers working on their business plans for 2064."

Now its your turn. = ) Help each other to get incredibly inspired and find outstanding ideas.

Yours Jesko

Hey Jesko,

Thats such a great input! This will inspire many participants to find new ideas and getting the right way!

Curious about the ongoing project!

Best, David

Hi guys. Phew! I'm still struggling with this one. I'm not a great book reader as almost everything I'm interested in is online. However, today I visited a local bookstore for the second time in a week. What made me go there? Well, this challenge of course. It's a bit like most things in life, if you become involved then you want to go further and find out more. So what did I learn this week at the bookstore that would help me. Not much unfortunately. But here are a few observations:

1. Although the store is up-to-date, not much is different other than some sofas and chairs for people to sit and read, study, or whatever, and a coffee bar, but people were doing the same as they always have done in a bookstore.

2. There was a "bar" with about eight Kindles and iPads where you could browse their database. No one was there or took any interest in them! Their complete focus was on the bookshelves, gifts, cards and other merchandise.

3. The only real interaction was in the children's section where a member of staff was reading to a group of children sitting on beanbags - lots of interested faces, lots of noise and laughter. They were all having fun and loved the story (which was being read from a real book not a tablet).

I left the store with no new ideas and am wondering, what is the point of trying to bring digital books into the real world. I can understand the marketing and promotional aspect for a trade show or a special event, but these are fast moving and change all the time. Anything that is designed to be more lasting for a local bookstore will probably soon become dated and out of fashion.

Book readers often say "The film wasn't as good as the book." When you ask why they usually say "The characters aren't as 'real'" or "There isn't as much detail" or "They changed the storyline". This shows the power of the written word and perhaps that's why people like to look at a physical book in a store. They can get a real connection with the story just by touching it. It seems to me that no matter how hard you try, you cannot get that physical bond with a digital book.

Here is a quote from my wife today: "The bookstore speaks to me, I can browse for what I want, but on my iPad I have to search". She then explained that in a bookstore there is a defined number of books, whereas in an online store there is an infinite number. Online she just wants to do a quick search by author, click buy now and she's done. Perhaps this is another example of information overload. It's like going to an art gallery is far more satisfying than look at art online. We need to be near it in real time to appreciate it, and here I think I have identified the difference between physical books and digital books -

'Real books exist in real time, but digital books exist for any time.'

This shows that the bookstore in itself is an experience that should be cherished and preserved, as well as physical books because they are an important part of our life time.

I have thousands of photos online, but only a few in frames. We like to have them on view all the time, to be able to touch them whenever we want because they are real, we have an emotional experience at that moment.

These are just my thoughts and I don't know if any of it helps anyone to think about alternatives to fit the brief, but I think a better brief would be to design the bookstore of the future, or re- design the format of digital books. Or simply to design a promotional experience for this years Frankfurt Book Fair, or a specific book promotion. To design something that "fits all" is too complex.

John.

Is there a specific or particular size of the booth for the book fair?

Hi nuhuh. I think I can answer your question as I have been to the Frankfurt fair. A small booth would about 3 x 3 metres. There is no maximum size but I would say an average large stand could be 12 x 12 metres. It doesn't have to be square. :)

Hey John,

I'm really excited about your contribution, your thoughts are interesting!

I understand your position and I agree with you in some points. In my opinion we are all lively creatures and want to be surrounded by lively things after all. Haha your statement is funny: "…like going to an art gallery is fare more satisfying than look at art online"!

I think you should use your observations and let also your wish and need for physical experience influence your draft. You don't have to create a homage for ebook s. I would say if one can see an individual and subjective perception in a draft, its most powerful. And sometimes its just concentrated in a simple form. If there would be an exhibition at the end, for me different outcomes, prospects and ideas to interact with digital content are most interesting.

And like Jesko said, there are different key aspects in the briefing. You don't have to pay attention on every.

In this project you have to deal with creating physical experience of digital content. I think you're on a great way and you already tried to come up with poetically, practical or unusual approaches.

Keep going on with your engagement!

Best, David

Dear All,

The Fluid Interfaces Group is dealing for several years with similar topics: "The Fluid Interfaces research group radically rethinks human-computer interaction with the aim of making the user experience more seamless, natural and integrated in our physical lives"

Maybe you have a look at the projects, for example "TAGME" http://fluid.media.mit.edu/projects/tagme

Might be inspirating!!!

Best, David

And please also have a look at the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrtANPtnhyg&feature=youtu.be

which UNLIME recommended in its submission!

Here you can get also funny examples how digital content becomes integrated in our physical lives, if you are interested in augmented reality!

Best, David

you can visit the amazing science study about the augmented reality book by disney research http://www.disneyresearch.com/project/hideout/

Dear All,

This is what I currently recommended to LEMO - and also for you ALL:

"And please: have a look at http://www.archimedes-exhibitions.de - these guys are really pro's in interactive installations --> technical and conceptual ! "

Best, David

I am new here, this is my 1st brief. I read many suggestion, i observed one thing that many are thinking within the shoe of Designer and Architecture. Though this project is more about Ideation Bringing Digital Readings at physical store. Answer is simple: Iron cuts iron, In same way solution for digital will be digital.Ideal solution should reduce inventories , so pomp-lets and cases are weird ideas(point of view may differ Person 2 person). Why should I allot my space in store for Digital Books case. i am happy with selling PaperBook :) Hint

Hello everyone, i've seen that lots of ideas are about using the smartphone, just to preview the book and not only. Visitors will need a battery just for this event. If you want to continue like this one advice would be for Frankfurt Festival to have loaded batteries ready to be lent to the visitors. A second solution may be a colaboration with a mobile company and have a number of mobile-phones ready to lend to the visitors (especially, the ones who do not have smartphones or tablets).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go9rf9GmYpM#t=36 - unbelievable bus shelter, maybe it can inspire you all for the unbelievable book reading

Dear All,

thanks a lot for great fruitful discussion here and a lot of interesting submissions so far. We are going to talk to the Client and Jury for the halftime feedback tomorrow to gain feedback from their point of view and provide insights and directions for the second half of the project.

We are going to publish the feedback here in the briefing on friday as well as sending it as a private message to all submitters.

Yours Jesko

Dear All, Please make sure to read through the indepth feedback from our halftime talk with the Jury above. We're all looking forward to the development of your ideas and to see which other new and exciting ideas will come. Best, David

Interesting feedback. A 'one solution fits all' concept that can be constructed in a matter of weeks! As for the future of bookstores, how do they intend to compete with this: http://readitreadit.wordpress.com/2012/10/15/how-cool-is-this/ Time for a cool beer!

Hey eartharchitect,

Thanks for your helpful suggestions!

I will answer your question about the size as soon as possible. But recognize that an exhibition would be more kind of a "group exhibition" with not only one idea.

Also have a look at these links below, there are some helpful informations about the fair and the stands:

http://www.buchmesse.de/en/ http://buchmesse.de/en/fbf/registration/stand_information/system_stand/

Best, David

@John

One idea that serve diverse purposes would be great but solutions that are developed especially for one of the three subtasks are also ok!

Thanks for your interesting example of the digital library in the subway station, did you recognize that the advertising pillar has no modulated section yet?

Alluding to your draft 360: I guess your idea already fits to diverse purposes :)

Cheers, David

I think to focus on the bookstore makes it more complex than necessary, because you stick in the whole print vs. digital and online vs. brick and mortar discussion. Think about a publisher exposing his 200 new books at a 40 m2 booth at the book fair. Pretty simple, and every year you can find completely new ideas to build a booth, to decorate, to lead visitors etc. But what happens, if the printed books vanish, what happens, if I only produce E-books and no more printed Books? The book fair for it self keeps it value as a place to come together, to discuss developments, to sell rights, to meet authors, to meet artists and to show your enterprise with the products to establish your brand, to attract new authors, new customers. And event today at the book fair we still present our catalogue, our production to libraries and bookshops to make them list our products. How can I present immaterial books at a booth? It is not the question, how you can get informations about a million books on a small smart phone. Its about making something visible, which gets its visibility normally through paper. (The question is for example (imho) not the same for computer games or movies at a special trade fair, because they move, you can play and interact and they give you a optical experience).

Dear All,

for the english speaking participants of that project:

there is now an english description about the Jury-member "Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels - Forum Zukunft" online now !!!

Have a look:

http://www.boersenverein.de/de/portal/Forum_Zukunft/810029

Best, David

Dear All,

thanks a lot for many interesting ideas in this challenging innovation project!

We recognise quite a big public and media interest. Some of your ideas have already been featured by a german magazine called BOERSENBLATT. – Klick here to have a look.. There´s another quite big german weekly magazine that just got in contact with some creatives to report about their ideas, too. We´ll keep you updated!

Now its rating only period. Please rate fair and honest to make the best ideas win. Of course we are doing monitoring to provide fairness within this process, too.

The Jury is going to meet next week. As soon as there´s a final decision we can officially announce the winners.

Yours Jesko

Was great being part of such a great project, may the best solution be selected.

Drumroll...

1. Rank7.83 Rating26 Ratings19 Comments274 ViewsUpdated on Aug 23, 2014 -Kind of sucks! 19 Votes - This seams to be more of a political game!

Dear All,

we just finished the monitoring and closed the project to award the community winners.

A big thank you to everyone that took part in this challenging project, where actually a whole market of booksellers is thinking about its future!A big congrats to the community winnersthat are now top ranked by you, the community. Hooray to Unlime, Alex, Evgeni, Bogdan, Mocki, Team Bonibom & Alex, Simon, Andre pradiktha, Bonibom and Alex!! Your price money will be payed out by next wednesday.

Andthanksa lot to David, who guided this project, as his first project on jovoto!

Have a wonderful day!

Yours Jesko

Congrats to all winners - Was a great contest.......... ;-)

I'm curious what concepts will be the clients choice..............................

congrats to all winners! thanks a lot to voters, jovoto and of course david for great advices!! :)

when is the jury announcment?

Thank you David and Jesko for the great support and Congrats to all winners!!!:)

Agree to all others - it's been an amazing contest and a lot of fun! Thanks to everybody (especially to David and Jesko) and congrats to all the winners!

Congratulations for Olivia for the Jury Price on her Bookshelf 2.0! http://www.buchreport.de/nachrichten/handel/handel_nachricht/datum/2014/09/11/e-books-im-holzrahmen.htm @jovoto: Next time it would be nice to let the community on your page get the information first.

Dear Community,

We are extremely happy to announce the winner of the Client's Choice is, Bookshelf 2.0 by Olivia. Congratulations! Fresh off the press, we've got a message from our Jury Member, Matthias Wagner K:

Arena for Books - Laudation The digitalization and globalization of markets today, lead to new and transformational processes, particularly within the book branch. Publisher’s products are being presented in digital formats and are available through electronic media and other commonly known services. It is at this point the challenge „Forum Zukunft Arena Digital 2014“ run by the Forum Zukunft (Forum Future) of the Deutscher Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) is asking us how we can make digital content visible in a physical space such as in a book store, at a trade shows or in other areas of urban life.

Out of the abundant, 132 ideas submitted the jury has decided to award the idea „Bookshelf 2.0“ - a concept which enables the connection of visibility, option to inform yourself as well as the traditional purchase of books in a simple, visually appealing way. „Bookshelf 2.0“ is a display format for e-Books which can be implemented in book shops and trade shows just as well as in urban spaces such as bus and subway stations. Thanks to an easy to understand user interface, it is possible to digitally roam around within the available e-Books and purchase them - even within the book shops and trade shows - without eliminating the possibility for face to face dialog. The idea plays with the idea of visual and tactile behavior in a smart way and shows that the creator has a immensely sensitive intuition for detail as well as the big picture: a play off both form and content.

Matthias Wagner K Direktor Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt am Main

Thanks again for all your participation and innovative work!