UnWaste Bookcase movement

While lounging in the living room, you set your book back on the shelf to read later … then grab it off the shelf from your bedroom. Not magic, merely a bit of creative engineering with a twist.

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UnWaste Bookcase
UnWaste Bookcase open

And consider the flip side: having a party in the living room, or want to clear you mind in the bedroom? No worries, you can spin yourself a blank wall on demand just as easily as you brought this unique bookcase and room divider combo into view in the first place.

UnWaste Bookcase flipping

The “UnWaste Bookcase” is a clever collaboration between architect Ben Milbourne (Bild Architecture), eco-designer Leyla Acaroglu (Eco Innovators) and specialist furniture designer David Waterworth (Against the Grain).

“A split-level open plan warehouse conversion in Melbourne’s CBD needed a flexible solution to divide the open space into 2 rooms, while retaining the option of keeping the larger combined space when needed; an answer that would allow for light and airflow throughout the spaces but also a division between living and sleeping areas. The James Bond inspired solution involves a 4.6 meter high by 3.8m wide rotating library allowing books to be stored and accessed from either side and maximizing air-flow and light when needed by simply pushing on the corner to allow for full 360 degree rotation.”

UnWaste Bookcase small version
UnWaste Bookcase small version open

“Producing the least environmental impact possible was paramount with this project. Conventional ‘virgin’ MDF, Timber or Melamine all came with unacceptable environmental impacts, leading to an impasse that threatened to derail the project. The solution came via the collaboration with David Waterworth who specializes in reclaimed and recycled materials in his designs. Reclaimed plywood from construction site hoardings (the temporary barriers at the edge of construction sites) were sourced and the material’s unique characteristics of posters, weathering, graffiti and mismatched paints was incorporated into the design. The ply was sealed with natural beeswax, and with the construction processes minimizing off-cut waste, 30 sheets of plywood were saved from landfill for this project further limiting its environmental impact.”

UnWaste Bookcase detail

Aside from its neat rotational functionality, it also features engaging materiality.  This kind of multi-dimensional collaborative project really shows that two (or three heads) is better than one.