MILAN — The long-awaited Milanese Apple Store will officially open for business starting Thursday at 5 p.m. — and it is already turning heads in the city as strollers passing by take selfies in front of the impressive structure.
The store, located on central Piazza Liberty, a stone’s throw from shopping thoroughfare Corso Vittorio Emanuele, has replaced the space formerly occupied by the Cinema Apollo movie theater. The unit was unveiled on Tuesday with a press preview, here.
As part of the spaces’ renovation spearheaded by London-based architectural design and engineering firm Foster + Partners, the square was turned into an amphitheater, clad in beola grigia stones, a material largely employed throughout Milan.
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Passing through an impressive fountain encased in glass structures in the shape of two parallelepipeds, customers enter the actual store located underground and whose design adheres to Apple’s signature wood, steel and glass aesthetic.
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“To work within one of Italy’s historic piazzas is both a great responsibility and a wonderful challenge,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “We combined two fundamental elements of the Italian piazza — water and stone — adding a glass portal that creates a multisensory experience as visitors enter the store through a cascading fountain that seems to envelop them.”
To mark the opening, Apple invited 21 local artists spanning from filmmakers and illustrators to musicians and digital artists to share their visions for the creative future of Milan, answering the question “Cosa farai domani Milano?” or “What will you do tomorrow, Milan?” Their works will be displayed at the store space in September.
Additionally, in keeping with the company’s goal to turn its stores into gathering places, the Milan unit will host starting Friday a series of hourly free workshops in photography, coding, design and music creation, among other categories. The project named Today at Apple was introduced worldwide last year.
“In a city with such rich history of art, entertainment and creativity, it’s an honor to establish a space where anyone can be inspired to learn, create and connect with their neighbors,” stated Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of retail, pointing to the store’s series of initiatives.
Apple already operates stores in other Italian cities including Florence, Turin and Rome, among others.