Reading room

Multidisciplinary consultancy Designers Front has designed an immersive reading environment which has appeared in Spitalfields Market in time for the paper-back launch of David Mitchell’s The Thousand Autumn’s of Jacob de Zoet, published today.

Designers Front has worked with Sam Hill Design and Jail Make to realise the project which sees eighteenth century Japan imagined as a tea-house inspired reading environment.The project was initiated by events marketing company Unity for publisher Sceptre.

Last week Design Week encountered Designers Front’s Chris Waggott traversing London to source some authentic Japanese incense.

He tells us, this is to conjure the smell of 1799 Dejima, a man made island in the bay of Nagasaki – the gateway between Japan and the West. 

Edo Japanese inspired materials and finishes have been used to cultivate the tearoom look and a soundscape designed by Nick Ryan is pumped up through underfloor speakers.

Samsung Galaxy Tabs have been installed so readers can select one of seven extracts from the novel and respond by uploading a review, image, or film to Designers Front designed microsite thousandreaders.com

This will inform a campaign by publisher Sceptre to find ‘The Thousand Readers of Jacob de Zoet’ and borrow their opinions for an ad campaign.

The room will be open until 19 March at The Mulberry Gate at Spitalfields Market, 105a Commercial Street, London E1.