More Than Meets The Eye: Bookshelf Illusion

If there’s anything I like more than a good optical illusion, it’s one that isn’t just merely drawn on a piece of paper. The illusionary bookshelf here was created by ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects. It was inspired by a popular illusion – you know, the one where you’re asked to count the elephants’ legs, except you don’t know where one leg ends and the next one begins?

“Bias Of Thoughts” Bookshelf

While these are only 3-D rendered images, they gives you a pretty good idea of what the illusion might look like if it were hanging on your wall. It looks as though it could be made out of  just wire and glass. However, I’m sure this is a lot easier said than done. The bookshelf is named “Bias Of Thoughts” because – well, everyone has a different point-of-view and, like, optical illusions distort and trick your perception and everything in the world is subjective … right?

I’m inexplicably fascinated by optical illusions. Back when I was still in high school, I used to take visual arts as an elective and I would waste hours staring at a book of optical illusions for “inspiration”. As such, I consider myself a bit of a connoisseur. My house is going to be filled with this stuff. Hallways that get smaller leading to pint-sized doors. Bathrooms decked out with mirrors coming at you from every side. I’m going to call it Vertigo, it’ll be the next Studio 54.

A Different Angle

The Trick Revealed

You can see from this last picture that there’s actually a magazine hanging somewhere in the middle of the shelf. I suppose this might actually prove to be useful since magazines are typically too floppy to place upright. Then again, only dentists, barbershops and your parents have anything resembling a magazine rack in their homes (they’re also the only people who tend tokeep magazines older than their shelf-life.)

Another Angle

If you like optical illusions as much as I do, be sure to check out this IRL MC Escher waterfall contraption or this Pac-Man poster illusion.

Via: ClarkeHopkinsClarke