CASA DEL LIBRO | Retail

Casa del Libro Goya: when a bookshop feels more like a novel than a store

In the heart of the Goya district there is a bookshop that is not satisfied with just selling books: it wants to tell its own story.
We are talking about Casa del Libro Goya, a very special space on the outside… and even more so on the inside.

It is no coincidence that Spain’s leading bookseller has a store in this building. Long before the shelves and bestsellers arrived, this was a residential block. And Federico García Lorca once lived in one of those apartments.

Today, that past lives on in a bookshop that has been renewed without losing its soul. And that is where we at Base3 come in.

The challenge: taming a Madrid flat full of odd angles

Residential buildings from that period in this area of Madrid were not exactly “square”. Irregular ceilings, walls that ignore geometry, unexpected curves…
The store inherited all of that.

If we wanted to update its image without killing its essence, we had to start with the basics: measuring.
Really measuring:

• • Corner by corner
• • Angle by angle
• • Curve by curve

Only then could we give Casa del Libro’s creative team the precise base they needed to design on.
Important note: we did not design the graphics. They were created by Casa del Libro’s designers using our detailed measurements. Our role was to make sure all that creativity could live in the physical space with no unpleasant surprises.

From tape measure to space: a new store image

With the plans ready, it was time to act.

As soon as you enter, the main room welcomes you with a large banner paying tribute to Spanish writers. It is the perfect way of saying: “books matter here, and so do their authors”.

Then came the detailed work:

• • We renewed the genre signage on all 250 bookcases in the store, so every section is easy to find, even if you are in a hurry.
• • We updated the signage for every area, along with directories and directional signs, so moving around the bookshop feels as simple as following the table of contents of a good book.
• • We applied wall vinyls with illustrations that set the mood without overwhelming the space, and we added small graphic details throughout the store – those little touches you only notice when you slow down and look.
• • We manufactured the 3D logo for the checkout area, because the last step before leaving should also live up to the experience.

Spaces that feel like different worlds

The store is far from uniform – and that is exactly what makes it so special.

• • In the children’s area, we designed and produced entry arches that create a fantasy-like entrance in purple tones. It is hard for a child to walk through and not feel as if they are stepping into a story.
• • Upstairs, the young adult area rounds off the visit with bold comic-style graphics: deep blacks, vivid colours and characters that almost jump off the wall.

The result: a bookshop that resonates instead of just selling

The project, installed in August 2022, made one thing clear:
when a space respects its history, cares about the details and takes the reader’s experience seriously, the store stops being just a point of sale.

Today, Casa del Libro Goya:

• • Shows who it is without saying a word.
• • Helps you quickly find what you came for (or happily lose yourself among the shelves).
• • Makes people come in, look around, touch and stay.

At Base3, we brought all our expertise in measurement, production, digital printing and turnkey installation to turn the concept into reality, corner by corner.

Because good bookshops are not only read. They are lived.