Opened in the fall of 2011, the Georgia Tech Campus Bookstore’s new concept, which re-imagines the university bookstore at a time when technology is radically changing education on every level, has transformed a section that previously sold snacks and convenience items into a vibrant hub of student and community life.
Drawing on our experience helping develop the Apple Store, Eight Inc. created a new destination for Georgia Tech students and Atlanta neighbors to gather, shop and learn. The new environment signals this shift – from a purely retail environment to a community hotspot – with a bold new design that promotes creativity and collaboration. Students and customers can easily browse products displayed on custom-made wooden tables, consult with one of the Georgia Tech student-employees who circulate the store, and seat themselves on stadium-style wooden bleachers to meet, work and explore.
The new Georgia Tech concept embraces the proliferation of tablets and e-readers, the evolution of the digital textbook and the emergence of a new generation of technologically-inclined students, which all point to a digital future for education.