The past few days have been hectic for the department of retail from Apple: four novelties regarding the indefectible stores of Ma, in very scattered points of the planet, appeared on the networks. Shall we take a look at them?
Melbourne
A few months ago, we talked here about the monumental controversy that Apple got into when presenting, for its future store in Federation Squarein Melbourne (Australia), a project that had nothing to do with the local architectural scene.
Although the original proposal was ultimately released by local government officials, Ma preferred to maintain good relations with melbournianos and to present a revised project for the store, which even had the advice of Don Bates, an architect who designed a large part of the deconstructivist style buildings that characterize Federation Square. Who informed was the Herald Sun.
Before and after
Before and afterThe new project replaces the “Pizza Hut + Asian Zen Temple” look with a bolder one, with a flat gray roof that, according to Apple's retail design director, BJ Siegel, will be completely covered by solar panels. In addition, the renewed proposal has a space for live performances, an extra 500m of public space and better accessibility for people with disabilities.
Despite this, the main proposal of the original project remains: “opening” Federation Square to the Yarra River, which passes exactly on the side where the store is located, through architectural solutions that lift the structure and incorporate the use of glass and others transparent materials.
It is not yet known what the local population will be receiving for the new plans. As we have already said, the rejection of melbournianos Apple's store goes beyond a purely architectural issue: they believe that Federation Square, considered the heart of the city and a celebrated area for art museums and public performance venues, on the spot for a purely commercial space. A lot of water, therefore, must still flow in this river we will keep an eye on.
Stockholm
It has been more than two years since Apple presented initial plans for the construction of its first store in the capital of Sweden there is one in Tby, in Stockholm County, but not in the city itself. However, the project for the Kungstrdgrden, one of the main squares in the city and surrounded by baroque buildings, encountered a series of obstacles along the way; among them, a certain public rejection very similar to the Melbourne controversy described above.
Unlike the Australian case, Apple did not significantly change its initial design for the store, which still has the same style very similar to that of the Apple Park Visitor Center (ie glass on all sides delimited by two "boxes" in the meantime, some changes were made to further improve the park's visibility for pedestrians.
Project for Apple store in Stockholm
Now, Stockholm City Hall is starting an official public consultation period to hear residents' opinions on the project. From the last 4th to the 12th of September, the local population will be able to send written opinions to the city's urban planning body; in addition, 24 Swedish agencies and associations were invited to express their opinions about the store. On August 23, a meeting will gather these councils for further discussion on the topic.
Will it now go?
Taipei
The first store in the capital of Taiwan it opened just over a year ago; now, although there is still no official announcement on the subject, it seems that the city is very close to receiving its second official space from Ma.
Far Eastern Xinyi Shopping Mall project left; building the right Apple store possibleA Taiwanese architecture and engineering forum posted photos of the construction of the Far Eastern Xinyi Shopping Mall, a gigantic new shopping center that is being built in the Xinyi district (the same one where Apple Taipei 101 is located). Among the images, attention is drawn to those showing an external structure to the mall, with curved glass walls and a concave ceiling that very much resembles a MacBook cover, if this is not an Apple store, certainly something that was inspired much in Ma.
All signs indicate for the company's second store in Taiwan, however: the first is in an internal space, so the new space could fulfill Cupertino's ambitions to build true “public spaces” in all the main cities in the world, with their areas for presentations, meetings and green spaces. We are still waiting for an official announcement, however.
Los Angeles
Closing this true tour of the world, we arrived at the city of the stars. Apple has, of course, several stores in LA, but none of them in the important downtown area at least for now.
Tower TheaterAnalyzing recently registered documents with the Los Angeles Department of Construction and Security, the Curbed he discovered that Apple is initiating plans to build a store at Tower Theater, a historic building on the southern part of Broadway Street. The company requested permission to demolish the current mezzanine of the theater and carry out renovations of a seismic nature in the building, which should have its external facade preserved, which is healthy, considering that we are talking about a 1927 building that has historical value for the golden age of the movie theater.
Certainly, Ma's store in downtown LA still has a long way to go before there is even a project ready for the space, but the result will be very interesting. Let us wait.
via Cult of Mac, 9to5Mac: 1, 2, 3
