Greenlight Bookstore is an independently-owned bookstore that occupies a busy stretch of Fulton Street in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The primary challenge was to create a unified store within an eccentric triangular space that is interrupted by a large air shaft. We lined the perimeter of the store with cherry stained millwork that consolidated the diagonal geometries into a regular stepped profile. In order to emphasize the visual width of the store, we clad the air shaft in contrasting white millwork so that it appeared as a sculptural feature within the space rather than an empty void. This central millwork is topped with arches that echo the vintage curbed window frames of the wood and glass storefront. Cove lighting that shines upwards from the shelves emphasizes the generous ceiling height and provides a visually calming area. Playful lighting spheres of different sizes emphasize areas of interest including the cash wrap in the front and children’s area in the back.

CREDITS: Frederick Tang Architecture PLLC and Jarrett Pelletier, Lighting Design by PHT Lighting. Mechanical Engineering by Vincent J. Liotta. Photographs by David Land.