Totem, designed by architect Bjarke Ingels, founder of BIG, is a totemic bookcase reminiscent of the design approach of buildings. From a self-supporting structure with a swivel system that allows convenient access on all four sides of the display, Totem consists of eight horizontal solid oak shelves of various sizes, stacked one on top of the other and supported by 'x' shaped spacers that make up the complete structure. Each shelf is divided into four parts to create small frames that are perfect for storing even small objects. The bookcase is conceived as a magical, open place to collect one's perpetual obsessions and daily habits.
"We believe that to meet today's challenges, architecture can profitably move into a field that has been largely unexplored. A pragmatic utopian architecture that moves away from the frozen pragmatism of boring forms and the naive utopian ideas of digital formalism," emphasizes Bjarke Ingels.
