Phone book: Architect creates mini public libraries

28 : 02 : 2012 Space Squatting : Symbiotic Branding : New York

New York – Architect John Locke has created miniature public libraries out of phone booths in the city as part of a social design initiative to improve public spaces, called the Department of Urban Betterment.

The architect has installed bookshelves into the seldom-used phone boxes, and allows people to drop or swap copies of books.

‘They (phone booths) are dead technology perched on the edge of obsolescence, but they can also be a place of opportunity, something to reprogramme and somewhere to come together and share a good book with your neighbours,’ says Locke.

This way of re purposing a feature of the city is similar to the Fabrique Hacktion project, which sought to improve on collective spaces in Paris. For more on how people are repurposing products and spaces to better suit themselves, read our Hacktivism microtrend.

Discover More Daily Signals
Ikea launches furniture and décor collection that frames play as a part of the entire home

Daily Signals

Ikea launches furniture and décor collection that frames play as a part of the entire home

At Miami Art Week, Ikea used its Open House Miami installation to frame play as an everyday design principle rather than a zone limited to children...
Design : Retail : Play
Foresight Friday: Emily Rhodes, creative lead

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Emily Rhodes, creative lead

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, creative lead Emily Rhode...
Design
Stat: UK anxiety about rapid cultural change accelerates

Daily Signals

Stat: UK anxiety about rapid cultural change accelerates

Public unease about the pace and direction of cultural change in the UK is intensifying, with new research revealing a sharp rise in perceptio...
Statistic : Society : Culture
Mantle borrows transplant-grade science for next-gen serum

Daily Signals

Mantle borrows transplant-grade science for next-gen serum

Swedish skincare brand Mantle is pushing medi-beauty into new territory with The Organ Essence, a serum that borrows its core actives from the pres...
Beauty : Science : Health
New study finds week-long digital detoxes improve youth mental health

Daily Signals

New study finds week-long digital detoxes improve youth mental health

A study published in JAMA Network Open in November 2025 suggests that taking a break from social media could deliver measurable mental health benef...
Technology : Youth : Social Media
Stat: Africa leads the AI adoption race for business

Daily Signals

Stat: Africa leads the AI adoption race for business

Africa is emerging as a frontrunner in workplace AI adoption, with 64% of workers reporting usage in the past year – well above the global average ...
Artificial Intelligence : Work : Statistic
Oloris transforms scent into a multi-sensory experience

Daily Signals

Oloris transforms scent into a multi-sensory experience

A new prototype from Pitch Studios, a creative agency based between London and Amsterdam, and Gentle Systems, an engineering studio in Berlin, is r...
Design : Technology : Fragrance
Stat: K-pop’s global popularity shows no signs of slowing

Daily Signals

Stat: K-pop’s global popularity shows no signs of slowing

K-pop’s transformation from a regional music scene into a global cultural force is now reflected in public awareness worldwide.
K-pop : Pop Culture : Statistic
How Clove is winning over healthcare workers with playful food collaborations

Daily Signals

How Clove is winning over healthcare workers with playful food collaborations

Clove, a functional footwear brand for healthcare workers, is using whimsical collaborations with unexpected food brands to stand out and breathe n...
Fashion : Healthcare : Collaboration
How artists KAWS’ 32m sculpture taps into the Awe Economy

Daily Signals

How artists KAWS’ 32m sculpture taps into the Awe Economy

The latest iteration of artist KAWS’ global public art series has landed on the Mina Zayed Waterfront as part of Abu Dhabi’s city-wide The Light Co...
Architecture : Sculpture : Art And Design
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN