Edicola 518 packs a Perugia kiosk into 10 square metres

By Elena Vasquez

Giuseppe Arezzi's 2026 project, Edicola 518, covers 10 m² beside the historic staircase of Sant'Ercolano in Perugia. According to the project description supplied by Arezzi, the kiosk presents independent magazines and books while also serving as a device for social activation.

Arezzi calls Edicola 518 an “Urban oasis for cultural exhibitionism”. His description gives the compact structure two connected jobs: it exhibits freely accessible publications and creates room for people to stop, sit and read. Arezzi's design combines the retained kiosk shell with an open platform, free drinking water and seating.

What changes inside the 10-square-metre kiosk?

Arezzi retains the original shell and applies a red hue that he describes as a sharp chromatic break with the past. Updated window frames also serve as a display system for a freely accessible selection of independent publications. Giovanni Emilio Galanello provided the project's photographs.

Inside, a multifunctional, stepped furniture piece made from lacquered oak forms a micro-architectural volume. Arezzi says it welcomes gathering and reading while integrating the kiosk's technical compartments. At its centre, a stainless-steel fountain supplies free drinking water.

The arrangement gives each element more than one task within the 10 m² footprint. Oak steps provide gathering and reading space while integrating technical compartments; window frames carry publications; the fountain adds a public amenity. Arezzi's description positions these parts as one connected interior rather than a collection of separate fittings.

How does the kiosk engage the street?

Arezzi's text identifies the partition counter of the traditional newspaper kiosk as a rigid barrier between vendor and public. He says that arrangement cancelled spatial dialogue. Edicola 518 overturns the archetype in favour of absolute permeability.

The outdoor platform extends the floor area and incorporates seating for spontaneous use. According to Arezzi, this fluid device stays accessible to the public even during the kiosk's closing hours at night. The design therefore shifts activity from the sales counter to the threshold and into the surrounding public space.

What is the Ambo bookstand for?

Arezzi names the new stool-bookstand “Ambo”. His description says it was designed exclusively for the collaboration between Edicola 518 and Seed Festival. The module stands 20 cm high, a dimension developed to compensate for the elevation change in the step.

Ambo shifts between a seat and a display tool for books and magazines. Arezzi describes it as an extension of Edicola 518 into the surrounding public space. Its low height links the bookstand to the step while giving the platform a second way to present publications.

The 2026 project compresses those roles into 10 m² without discarding the familiar kiosk shell. Its practical test is whether the platform can remain useful and accessible when the kiosk closes at night, as Arezzi intends. If it does, Edicola 518 becomes a small public stop rather than merely a sales counter.