Source: ArchiDogs
An old building that has gone through a century of vicissitudes
They were once the leading Broadway theaters
It was also a European palace that housed artistic treasures
Or the library of the last century or the celebrity apartment
Today, after the design and restoration of Foster Architects
Become a new Apple retail store
Where the old and the new blend, the city's cultural history continues
The author | Kin
Edited | Yihan
Foster Architects' close cooperation with Apple has a long history, and designers love to renovate century-old buildings, and they are reborn in their hands, reintegrated into the new surrounding environment, and meet the new needs of society...
On July 28, another Apple store, The Apple Brompton Road Store, opened in London, England. The most attractive feature is that the store is located in an old building, which is more than 100 years old, and now after the design and renovation of Foster Studio, its "life" has been extended.
This is Apple's third (and 39th in the UK) retail store in London, following the Covent Garden Store and the Apple Regent Street Store.
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London Brompton Road store
The central arcade inside the new store pays homage to history
Restores the dimensions of the Brompton Arcade, an old building from 1903
Panoramic view of 13-31 Brompton Road
The building where the Apple Store is located, built in 1903-1904, was architected by G. D. Martin (George Dennis Martin). It is a symmetrical design with facades made of white stone and brick, and the windows on the first and second floors are decorated with arches.
Inside the new store
The brand new Apple Store on Brompton Road in London, ENGLAND, close to Hyde Park and just a short walk from the world-famous Harrods and other luxury shopping venues.
Before the opening, passers-by came and went in the Apple Store warm-up screen
The nearby Hyde Park inspires designers, with preheated visual designs dominated by plants. If you look closely, the plants on these posters are all made up of apple products, the white flowers are AirPods, the purple flowers are AirTags, and the little bugs are the straps of the Apple Watch... Fun.
"Collaboration with the history of the building, as well as the natural light of the area, was key to this design.
Apple Brompton Road is an oasis of calm in London's bustling district.
The shop is a single square floor with a ceiling height of 7 meters at its highest point, and its central feature is an undulating wooden ceiling rising from a series of 4-meter-high arched windows.
A central arcade is formed within the store, through which visitors can pass, which is also part of the store's tribute to history, and the new central arcade reflects the dimensions of the original Bropton Arcade built here in 1903.
Panorama at 1-31 Brompton Road Historical picture
Up close to the new store arcade, the integrated fixtures on the ceiling blend seamlessly with the wooden panels, which are designed to match the color and finish of the wooden panels
A central arcade is formed inside the store, from which people enter the shop
A tribute to history and the dimensions of the original Bropton Arcade, built here in 1903
Eight banyan trees are placed in the window and on a line in the middle of the shop, a nod to Hyde Park near London.
Each tree is placed in a flower pot and is also a seat or rest area for visitors. Banyan trees blur the boundaries between the exterior and interior of the shop, as if introducing nature directly into the building.
Warm wood materials create a calm, harmonious environment
Customers interact with Apple's product line in-store and experience Apple's personalized customer service in a unique environment that blends historical and natural elements.
Guests can enjoy the products on site
In addition to the wood material, other materials such as stone and terrazzo have also been carefully selected to complement the red brick of the building's façade.
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Apple Tower Theatre in Los Angeles
Theater version of the Apple Retail Store Have you ever seen it?
Apple Tower Theatre
The site is located in the Broadway Theater District of downtown LA
Historic Tower Theatre
By renowned cinema architect S. Charles Lee
Designed in 1927
It is the first theater in Los Angeles to be built for sound films
Comparison of old and new scenes
The former theatre is now back in its glory
Foster + Partners in this case restored one of Los Angeles' most historic movie theaters: the 1927 Sound Film Theater.
Due to the development of the times, the equipment can not keep up with the demand for digitalization, it was basically abandoned in 1988, and now, by professional restoration craftsmen, the theater has been newly restored and upgraded, bringing it back to the golden age inside and outside.
July 2021, opening day, excited employees
The design brings back the romance and excitement of the birth of the cinema, recreating and creating the concept of 'place'.
Exquisite details inside have been lovingly restored. Starting today, apple tower theatre will be active again in a variety of events and celebrations, bringing a steady stream of urban life to downtown Los Angeles.
—Stefan Behling, Foster Architects
The design team restored the terracotta façade of the distinctive exterior of the bell tower and improved the façade display on Broadway. Not only that, but historic restorations have also been made to its interior, with upgraded accessibility to ensure the building's longevity and service to the community in the future.
Inside, a spacious hall welcomes visitors at all times
The interior is meticulously repaired by a team of professionals
The team meticulously restored and enhanced the intricate historic plaster details on the walls and ceilings that date back to the 1920s.
To add vibrancy and color to the space, the architects reinterpreted the central dome of the theater's ceiling, adding a mural of golden sunshine in the calm southern California sky.
A team of professionals meticulously cares for details throughout the interior
The interior of the new store was renovated after the opening
A large staircase that has been perfectly restored takes visitors up to the upper level, while the hall leads to the soaring volume of the main theater hall located on the ground floor, which has been completely transformed into an open atmospheric display area.
Foster + Partners modernized the theater's original seating, going up the stairs and setting up large leather theatre-style seating on the upper level, the best place for guests to relax while waiting for an appointment.
With open spaces and scenes, forums and events can be held at any time, and the opening of this Apple store will make the place a new magnet for attracting the public and inspiring people's enthusiasm.
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Flagship store on Via Del Corso, Rome
The new store is located in the Palazzo Marinoli
(Marignoli Palace)
By the famous architect Salvatore Bianchi
Designed in 1870
Its earlier history dates back to the 16th century
An ancient monastery
19th-century architect Giulio Podesti
Secondary design of the Palazzo Marinoli
Today, Foster + Partners works on the building façade
and the precious artwork inside is lovingly restored
Historic buildings bring new life
Apple Via del Corso historical reality map
The Palazzo Marignoli was once the former home of the Marquis of Philippe Margnoli
The interior of the new store is real
Last year, Apple opened Europe's largest store on Rome's Via del Corso.
The shop is located in the Palazzo Marinoli, designed by the famous architect Salvatore Bianchi for Filippo Marignoli in 1870, on the site of a 16th-century monastery.
In the 19th century, the architect Giulio Podesti made a second design for the Palazzo Marinioli. Added to the main façade we see today. From 1890 to 1955, it was known as the seat of Affè Aragno, a fashionable meeting place for writers, journalists and politicians in the neighborhood of Parliament.
Inspired by the colorful Palazzo Marinioli of the past, the design reveals the building's fascinating multi-layered history by restoring painted murals from the 1890s and modern graffiti works from the 1950s.
To celebrate the reappearance of the murals that have been hidden for decades, the new design creates a space where the city and history truly meet.
——Foster + Partners
The façade facing Via Del Corso has been meticulously restored
The restoration team deeply cleaned the façade of the Palazzo Marinoli, restoring its original color and appearance
In the open courtyard, many camphor trees are planted
Access to the shop is via an ancient passage leading to the courtyard, flanked by a spacious and striking passage that reveals a magnificent palace of great historical significance.
The arches and vaults of the central passage are lined with Carrara stone, carefully selected to match the existing marble, creating an eye-catching scene that leads visitors to the Grand Staircase.
Look at the courtyard and archways from another angle
Many of the building's interiors have also been carefully restored (see below), such as graffiti by the Italian abstract painter Afro Basaldella in 1950, and two large ceiling paintings, Namely Fabio Cipolla's Dawn and Ettore Ballerini's Dusk. Its creation dates back to the beginning of the last century.
Graffiti by the Italian abstract painter Afro Basaldella in 1950
The graffiti pieces blend perfectly into the interior
Dusk by Ettore Ballerini
Dawn by Fabio Cipolla
You can see the art paintings on your head
This ornate spiral staircase connects the 1st and 2nd floors, built in 1888 and restored by the team using local marble.
The skylight was also restored, filling the entire space with soft light.
This hand-painted ceiling, full of geometric patterns, was restored to its former glory by an entire team of professionals who took thousands of hours.
The opening of apple's Colso Avenue store is the perfect place for customers to engage, explore Apple's latest products, and admire and get inspired by the artworks around them.
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Apple Carnegie Library, Washington
It was the first public library in Washington, D.C
Designed by Akerman & Ross in 1903
It was also the first public building in the area to be de-apartheided
Today, this neoclassical building
Transformed into a stylish retail space with an atrium
The library's original lending office opened in 1903
Shoot at the same angle
The interior of the new store was opened in May 2019
The store, called Apple Carnegie Library, is located in Mount Vernon Square in Washington, D.C. Built in 1903 and designed by Ackerman & Ross, this Art Nouveau building is the first public library in Washington, D.C., and the first public building to be desegregated.
Located in the heart of Mount Vernon Square and surrounded by trees and greenery, the Carnegie Library is the most valuable type of historic construction in a modern commercial development. But because of its long history and delayed restoration plans, the public library has fallen into disrepair, a far cry from Andrew Carnegie's original vision, and it is in dire need of a restoration.
To restore the building's original grandeur, Foster + Partners teamed up with Jony Ive to preserve the historic façade while restoring the interior spaces to their original appearance, while also restoring the building's unique details from the early 20th century, bringing this cultural landmark back to life.
The skylight that was once used to illuminate the former library lending room in the center of the building has also been redesigned, and this part of the space has been replaced by a raised double-storey atrium called the "Forum Interactive Workshop", and a larger skylight has been reserved to take full advantage of natural light sources.
1908 Reading room on the first floor of the library Historical photographs
The reading room of that year has become today's retail area, and the product display also deliberately refers to the original reading room decoration
The library's first-floor reading rooms in the east and west wings have now been replaced by retail areas where Apple products are displayed, which reference the original reading room furnishings, and each table is equipped with a distinctive narrow LED luminaire to create an elegant atmosphere.
The main staircase leads to the DC History Center on the second floor or the Carnegie Gallery in the basement, which displays a large collection of historical photos and documents to facilitate the public's understanding of the origins and history of the building.
The Carnegie Gallery displays a large collection of historical photographs and documents to give an insight into the origins and history of the building
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Paris Champs Elysées
The building is named Axhis historique
It was first built in 1893
Alberto Santos Dumont, a pioneer of Paris airlines
Residence of Albert Sandoz Dumont
Apple's flagship store is located here
It is intended to pay tribute to the rich history of Paris
Paris airline pioneer Alberto Santos Dumont lived here
The historic promenade transports vitality to the depths of the building, creating a unique indoor experience, full of life and vitality
This Apple store is located on the corner of the Champs Elysées and Washington Street. On this famous tree-lined avenue, ornate Beaux-Art style architecture has been synonymous with Parisian life for centuries.
Apple Champs-Élysées has managed to capture the essence of this bustling metropolis by creating a unique cour intérieure in a typical Old Parisian apartment.
The Champs Elysées represent the charm and vitality of Paris, and the Apple shop in this ancient building is like being packed in an envelope of history, sent from the past to the future.
—Stefan Behling, Foster Architects
The original details that survived from the historic building were meticulously restored by the team and seamlessly integrated into the design, complementing the vibrant, modern interior spaces.
The details are fascinating
In addition to the greenery, this Apple store also has a big feature: if you look at the roof, the ceiling here is not pure glass, but a kaleidoscope-like design!
This not only brings a wonderful lighting effect, but also a solar solution brought by Kaleidoscope (the company name literally translates to "kaleidoscope"), through which the solar energy collected provides energy support for the entire building.
Kaleidoscopic ceiling to collect solar energy
The first and second floors of the building are used for retail, and the third floor and above are Apple's office areas. The Apple store opened in November 2018. Foster + Partners has successfully achieved a "past to future" heritage.
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Foster + Partners' renovation of these century old buildings, on the basis of respecting the historical and cultural elements of urban architecture, injects fresh blood into the city and makes the city full of more vitality.
Architects restore and renovate old buildings that have a certain value, but have basically lost their use function, which has positive practical value and historical significance. It can not only fully protect and utilize the urban heritage, but also continue the history to a certain extent and create new life.