In an age where physical spaces compete with digital convenience, South Korea’s historic bookstore Bandi & Lunis sought new ways to rekindle the joy of offline book discovery.
Our team envisioned an AR-powered browsing experience that guides users through the store, highlights trending titles, and creates delightful moments of surprise along the way.
In an age where physical spaces compete with digital convenience, South Korea’s historic bookstore Bandi & Lunis sought new ways to rekindle the joy of offline book discovery. Our team envisioned an AR-powered browsing experience that guides users through the store, highlights trending titles, and creates delightful moments of surprise along the way.
TIMELINE
Dec 2021 – Feb 2022 (3 months)
ROLE
UX & UI Design, Branding, AR Interaction, Spatial Design
TOOLS
Adobe Aero, Figma, Blender
PROJECT TYPE
Academic Project — Seoul Women’s University, Industrial Design Department
Let's see how it works
THe big why
What if bookstores could help readers explore effortlessly, just like online platform, but without losing the joy of wandering?
The project began with a question: Can AR make physical bookstores more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
The project began with a question: Can AR make physical bookstores more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
The project began with a question: Can AR make physical bookstores more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
The project began with a question: Can AR make physical bookstores more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
In a time when online algorithms decide what we read, the joy of wandering through shelves is quietly fading. Our team set out to reimagine Bandi & Lunis, one of South Korea’s most iconic bookstores, as a space where technology amplifies human curiosity instead of replacing it. By combining AR interaction, brand redesign, and spatial renewal, we aimed to transform a static retail space into a living, learning experience.
In a time when online algorithms decide what we read, the joy of wandering through shelves is quietly fading. Our team set out to reimagine Bandi & Lunis, one of South Korea’s most iconic bookstores, as a space where technology amplifies human curiosity instead of replacing it. By combining AR interaction, brand redesign, and spatial renewal, we aimed to transform a static retail space into a living, learning experience.
Experience First
Discovering Books as an interactive journey
Visitors often feel overwhelmed by the scale of bookstores and unsure where to start. The challenge was to turn wandering into guided exploration, without losing the serendipity of traditional browsing.
Visitors often feel overwhelmed by the scale of bookstores and unsure where to start. The challenge was to turn wandering into guided exploration, without losing the serendipity of traditional browsing.
Heading towards the bookstores
Heading towards the bookstores
Stumbled upon a vast book section
Stumbled upon a vast book section
Stumbled upon a vast book section
Stumbled upon a vast book section
Captivated by a desired books
Captivated by a desired books
Captivated by a desired books
Captivated by a desired books
Context
When bookstores became too vast to explore
Visitors often feel overwhelmed by the scale of bookstores and unsure where to start. What used to be a place of serendipitous discovery has turned into a maze of endless choices.
Visitors often feel overwhelmed by the scale of bookstores and unsure where to start. What used to be a place of serendipitous discovery has turned into a maze of endless choices.
This project began with a simple yet urgent question:
How might we make discovering books in a large bookstore more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
How might we make discovering books in a large bookstore more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
How might we make discovering books in a large bookstore more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
Experience
Reframing the Bandi & Lunis bookstore experience
We mapped the in-store experience into three key emotional moments:
We mapped the in-store experience into three key emotional moments:
1.Anticipation
1.Anticipation
Entering the bookstore with curiosity but no clear direction.
Entering the bookstore with curiosity
but no clear direction.
2.Exploration
2.Exploration
Navigating vast aisles with AR cues highlighting curated or trending books.
Navigating vast aisles with AR cues highlighting curated or trending books.
3.Discovery
3.Discovery
Reaching a specific title or section, rewarded with contextual insights or points.
Reaching a specific title or section, rewarded with contextual insights or points.
This journey design helped us preserve the emotional flow of browsing—only now, enhanced with AR.
This journey helped us design a system that keeps the emotional flow of browsing intact—just enhanced by AR.
Background
Why Bandi & Lunis and why bookstores?
Once one of Korea’s most recognized bookstore brands, Bandi & Lunis had begun losing relevance in the digital age. Competitors like Kyobo and Yes24 embraced digital ecosystems early, while Bandi & Lunis struggled to bridge its physical presence with the online discovery habits of modern readers.
Once one of Korea’s most recognized bookstore brands, Bandi & Lunis had begun losing relevance in the digital age. Competitors like Kyobo and Yes24 embraced digital ecosystems early, while Bandi & Lunis struggled to bridge its physical presence with the online discovery habits of modern readers.
As digital platforms dominate book recommendations, the brand’s offline experience grew static and unclear. We saw this as an opportunity not just to redesign an interface—but to redefine what a physical bookstore could mean today.
As digital platforms dominate book recommendations, the brand’s offline experience grew static and unclear. We saw this as an opportunity not just to redesign an interface—but to redefine what a physical bookstore could mean today.
Research
Listening to readers and staff inside the bookstore
We conducted interviews with two groups - bookstore visitors and staff, to uncover the main friction points and behavioral patterns in offline book discovery.
We conducted interviews with two groups - bookstore visitors and staff, to uncover the main friction points and behavioral patterns in offline book discovery.
Staffs said…
Staffs said…
“We spend more time explaining directions than talking about books.”
“We spend more time explaining directions than talking about books.”
Many customers experience decision paralysis when faced with endless book sections.
Many customers experience decision paralysis when faced with endless book sections.
Readers said…
“I feel lost. There’s so much to see that I end up not finding what I want.”
“I feel lost. There’s so much to see that I end up not finding what I want.”
Staff members frequently handle repetitive questions about book locations and recommendations.
Staff members frequently handle repetitive questions about book locations and recommendations.
Readers said…
“I feel lost. There’s so much to see that I end up not finding what I want.”
Staff members frequently handle repetitive questions about book locations and recommendations.
Readers said…
We saw this as an opportunity to redefine the role of physical bookstores — not as outdated retail, but as spaces for interactive cultural experiences.
We saw this as an opportunity to redefine the role of physical bookstores — not as outdated retail, but as spaces for interactive cultural experiences.
Staffs said…
“We spend more time explaining directions than talking about books.”
Many customers experience decision paralysis when faced with endless book sections.
Space research
Understanding spatial overwhelm in large bookstores
Our spatial analysis revealed that the sheer scale of Bandi & Lunis can unintentionally create decision paralysis for visitors. The multi-level layout and dense shelving system make it difficult for first-time customers to know where to start.
Our spatial analysis revealed that the sheer scale of Bandi & Lunis can unintentionally create decision paralysis for visitors. The multi-level layout and dense shelving system make it difficult for first-time customers to know where to start.
Many described the experience as “It feels like a treasure hunt that becomes exhausting.” We identified four recurring perceptions:
Many described the experience as “It feels like a treasure hunt that becomes exhausting.” We identified four recurring perceptions:
Too broad
Too broad
Treasure-hunt
Treasure-hunt
Disorganized
Disorganized
Too complex
Too complex
By mapping emotional and behavioral patterns, we saw that gentle guidance and curation could transform confusion into curiosity.
By mapping emotional and behavioral patterns, we saw that gentle guidance and curation could transform confusion into curiosity.
DESIGN Goal
Making book discovery intuitive with AR
We used AR to translate overwhelming spatial layouts into guided, meaningful interactions. Readers can easily navigate, discover personalized titles, and reconnect with the joy of browsing through subtle digital layers.
We used AR to translate overwhelming spatial layouts into guided, meaningful interactions. Readers can easily navigate, discover personalized titles, and reconnect with the joy of browsing through subtle digital layers.
By combining books with the real world, we designed an experience that reawakens curiosity, one shelf at a time.
By combining books with the real world, we designed an experience that reawakens curiosity, one shelf at a time.
Key experience
The reader's AR Journey
We mapped the AR experience into three key moments, preserving the natural rhythm of browsing.
Through these moments, readers experienced guidance without losing autonomy, a balance between structure and spontaneity that defines meaningful exploration.
As the AR system began reshaping how users interacted with the space, we realized the transformation couldn’t stop at the interface.
To fully embody this new experience, the brand and its environment needed to evolve too.
How might we make discovering books in a large bookstore more intuitive, enjoyable, and meaningful again?
As the AR system began reshaping how users interacted with the space, we realized the transformation couldn’t stop at the interface. To fully embody this new experience, the brand and its environment needed to evolve too.
Brand redefinition
Rebuilding trust through clarity, warmth, and modernity
The AR experience gave Bandi & Lunis a new purpose: to help readers navigate both space and knowledge with confidence. To embody that, the brand’s identity needed to evolve, balancing warmth, clarity, and modern intelligence.
The new symbol unites the ideas of coexistence, moonlight, and connection, bridging the duality of tradition and innovation. A refined serif wordmark and warmer color palette complete the transformation, creating a unified identity that feels both digital and human,at home across screens, shelves, and physical spaces.
Spatial design
Turning architecture into part of the navigation system
Turning architecture into part of the navigation system
The physical space was redesigned to mirror the logic of the AR experience, zoning clear paths for browsing, discovery, and checkout. By separating exploration zones from purchase zones, the layout reduced visual clutter and improved natural flow.
The physical space was redesigned to mirror the logic of the AR experience, zoning clear paths for browsing, discovery, and checkout. By separating exploration zones from purchase zones, the layout reduced visual clutter and improved natural flow.
Through these moments, readers experienced guidance without losing autonomy, a balance between structure and spontaneity that defines meaningful exploration.
Testing & results
AR Feature User testing
AR Feature User testing
User testing at the bookstore revealed how AR enhanced engagement and enjoyment. Readers spent more time browsing and expressed particular delight when contextual reviews appeared as overlays beside books.
User testing at the bookstore revealed how AR enhanced engagement and enjoyment. Readers spent more time browsing and expressed particular delight when contextual reviews appeared as overlays beside books.
Reflection
From overwhelming to enlightening
From overwhelming to enlightening
Through AR, visual identity, and spatial design, Bandi & Lunis evolved from a static retail brand into a living cultural platform.
This project taught me that great design doesn’t separate UI, brand, and space, it connects them into one continuous story of human curiosity.
Through AR, visual identity, and spatial design, Bandi & Lunis evolved from a static retail brand into a living cultural platform.
This project taught me that great design doesn’t separate UI, brand, and space, it connects them into one continuous story of human curiosity.
