16" Deep Bookshelf Base

This is a component build rather than a finished piece on its own: a simple two-shelf plywood box, sized 16" deep so it reads as a proper bookshelf rather than a shallow desk pedestal, meant to stand alongside other base modules under a shared desktop. Fixed shelves rather than adjustable ones keep the box itself rigid, which matters more here than in a standalone bookcase since this base also has to carry the desktop's load without racking.

The back panel is optional in the source but worth adding even though it isn't strictly needed to hold books: it's attached to the center shelf specifically for extra support, the same logic behind adding backing to any wide, deep shelf carrying real weight. If you're building more than one base for a full system, cut every module's sides from the same sheet in one session — sheet goods vary slightly between batches, and matching modules built weeks apart is where an otherwise-invisible seam shows up.