As most things are going virtual this year due to the coronavirus induced safety norms and lockdowns, bookworms are having a tough time. But here’s some good news for those missing books and their aesthetic settings. Mumbai architect Nuru Karim is coming up with a Virtual BookWorm for all art lovers and readers.

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The architect had garnered attention last year by building a 35-metre-long BookWorm Pavilion in the sprawling gardens of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya Museum. The structure had been built from around 3,600 wooden components to make ladders, hosting shelves that stored 12,000 books, and seating areas for guests, which were subsequently used for reading and storytelling sessions. Karim had envisioned it while travelling around the country to encourage reading among people. However, it is now dismantled and stored in his workshop.

 

 

 

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“The early bird catches the worm” This morning before the museum gates opened to public #bookwormpavilion designed by Nudes @nurukarim #nurukarim supported by #priyasriartgallery #csmvsmumbai #csmvschildrensmuseum #mumbai #books #library #dezeen @dezeen #architecture #design #read #readingisfundamental #reading #readmorebooks #india #literacy #educate #saatchitakeover

A post shared by Nudes (@nurukarim) on Dec 28, 2019 at 8:03am PST

Now, as the pandemic continues to pose travel restrictions, Karim has come up with plans to transform his idea in digital terms. He is now building an augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) version of the pavilion, called the Virtual BookWorm. He is exploring potential collaborations with online resources like Amazon Kindle, bookshops, and online libraries to set up easy and affordable access to the programme’s participants.

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"Imagine what it would be like to have your avatar walk around looking at public art that doubles as a book-scape. A place where you can bump into friends and acquaintances, and pick an actual book to read—one day at a park, another time at a beach. The idea is to access books in the virtual realm from anywhere in the world without physically accessing the pavilion. The books could be on various subjects and can be accessed via Kindle or a similar knowledge platform," Karim explains.