When the Australian Institute of Architects’ bookstore Architext closed in 2016, architects were forced to buy their books online. Then The Architect’s Bookshop opened at the end of 2018. The store is an oasis for architects, students and fans of the craft.

The two-room shopfront has a pared-back, Australian aesthetic. It’s fitted out with Tasmanian oak shelves and integrated seating. It also has the original pressed-metal ceilings, cork floors and washed-eucalypt walls. The mirrored back wall pays homage to past tenants, which included a tiler and a stained-glass-window manufacturer.

While the front room acts as a retail space, the back room is designed to be a small-scale community hub for hosting free talks, events and book clubs. The aim is to support smaller, emerging practices.

Former Architext manager Anne Proudfoot is on board, as is the Museum of Contemporary Culture store’s Meredith Buhler. They imbue The Architect’s Bookshop with an unparalleled wealth of knowledge.