A gallery of uber-modern bookcases

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A parade of modern bookcases in this photogallery looks fantastic. They gleam, they interlock, they’re clean inspired and even sometimes silly. But I’m not entirely sure they’ll be all that good at holding books.

The shelves above, called Opus Incertum by Sean Yoo, tilt and slant in wonderful shapes, only a few of which would hold books properly. Maybe you could stack big art books on their sides in the big slanty hexagon, but it doesn’t seem like the best way to store them. What’s more, these bookcases are made of something called expanded polypropylene, which can be used indoors or outdoors. Fun orange outdoor shelves are great -- but keeping books on the patio, not so much.

Maybe they’re not meant for books so much at all. Maybe odd-shaped artworks and ephemera, maybe dangling pieces and soft pillows belong in them. Maybe bookshelves aren’t just for books anymore.

-- Carolyn Kellogg