© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

A wooden free-standing tower structure is placed in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s National Library staircase hall, lining with the existing pillars. The visitor is invited to choose an alternative, literature-filled descend towards the library. One is able to select an interesting book and withdraw to sit and read it in a peaceful one-person reading space in the core of the tower. Inside the reading space will be installed a reading light. This light will shine outwards through the structure, casting scattered light on the surrounding gallery walls, inviting readers like night lantern lures moths.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Each floor can have a different literate theme. The books are second-hand/ recycled/ would be otherwise destroyed, and will be collected from publishers, libraries and universities during 2009/2010. We suggest also that each visitor can take one book with so that the installation is stripped to a bare structure in the course of the exhibition, and people will have a lasting memory / souvenir of the work. This installation is made of wood, pre-cut in another location and installed on site.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Outside only white paper, wood as well, is shown of the books, creating a unified wall surface. Interior is a contrasting collage of colors, titles and themes. To learn of the contents of the books, one has to enter the tower.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

CREDITS

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Client: Victoria & Albert Museum

Curator: Abraham Thomas

Project administration: Elizabeth Capon

Design team: Sami Rintala, Dagur Eggertsson and Vibeke Jenssen

Footprint area: 3,15 m x 3,15 m = 9,9 m2

Height: 7,75 m ( 3 floors )

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Materials: Wood – 6,16 m3

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Sponsors: UPM Kymmene – wood materials; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign affairs / Norsk Form – travels; Luxo – lighting; Norwegian embassy in London – books; Dominic Winter Book Auctions – books
Richard Booth’s Bookshop – books
Vintage Books – books

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Technical support: Dr. Techn Kristoffer Apeland A/S

Building team: Mats Odin Rustøy, Dagur Eggertsson, Sami Rintala, Pasi Aalto, Jon Gunnar Akason, Fabricio Fernandes, Harriet Brisley, Mathew Donnachie and Darius Wilson.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Additional help: Vibeke Jenssen, Kaori Watanabe, Naofumi Namba, Ruby Wilson, Molly Odhiambo, Laura Shouthall, Erland Flaterud and Anne Ulseth.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

Presentation model: Per Sølvsberg

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Pasi Aalto . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.

© Rintala Eggertsson Architects . Published on December 13, 2010.