Apple Granted Patent for Fifth Avenue Glass Cube Store Design - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Apple Granted Patent for Fifth Avenue Glass Cube Store Design

by

Apple has been granted a patent for the design of its iconic glass cube Fifth Avenue retail store, reports Patently Apple.

fifthavenue_hero
The decision comes four years after Apple applied for a trademark related to the store's design, which is still currently pending. The panted granted today was originally filed on October 15, 2012 and credits eight inventors including former Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

Apple's Fifth Avenue store opened on May 19, 2006 and was designed by architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson. Due to a structural overhaul that took place in 2011, the location currently uses 15 panes of glass as opposed to 90 used in the original cube. The renovations on the newer cube also did away with nearly all of the hardware that previously held the original panes together, resulting in a "seamless" design.

Tag: Patent

Top Rated Comments

153 months ago
Only apple could/would patent a storefront
If I'd designed and engineered it I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want anyone else copying it too.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
153 months ago
?!
They patented a glass cube?!
Seriously?!
I call plagiarism: http://www.wikiart.org/en/larry-bell/glass-cube-1966#supersized-artistPaintings-288973

Oh dear, someone doesn't understand the difference between an idea and an implementation..

By your logic Star Trek owns pretty much everything technological that has come out in the last 30 years, and also the next couple of decades too.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cicton Avatar
153 months ago
It's such a cool store.

----------

No it's not. Stop making things up. You cannot compare a store to a tourist attraction, its a store. And the reason why there are so many people sitting around next to it, is because its the only place on 5th ave where you can easily sit down and eat (except central park),

According to Forbes, it's the most photographed site in NYC.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
153 months ago
This thread is about to be filled with comments from people who have no idea what a design patent is.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Garsun Avatar
153 months ago
Only apple could/would patent a storefront
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
153 months ago
Which is crazy. Of all the things to do in New York...

It's normal for tourists to visit architectural icons in cities they visit. People visit cathedrals too, but it doesn't mean they have to convert.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.5 Features: Everything New in iOS 26.5

Monday May 11, 2026 5:09 pm PDT by
Apple released iOS 26.5 after a few months of beta testing, and while it doesn't have the Siri features we were hoping for since those are being held until iOS 27, there are a handful of useful changes worth knowing about. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. End-to-End Encryption for RCS Support for end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for RCS messages between iPhone and...
Dynamic Island iPhone 18 Pro Feature

11 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 18 Pro

Monday May 11, 2026 9:01 am PDT by
We're only four months out from the launch of Apple's premium next-generation smartphone lineup, and while we're not expecting a sea change in terms of functionality, there are still several enhancements rumored to be coming to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth noting is that Apple is reportedly planning a major change to its iPhone release cycle this year, adopting a...
Four iPhone 18 Pro Colors Mock Feature

iPhone 18 Pro May Have 'Aggressive' Starting Price Despite RAM Crisis

Tuesday May 12, 2026 6:53 am PDT by
While the ongoing RAM chip shortage is leading some Android smartphone makers to increase prices, one analyst believes that Apple will take advantage of the situation with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. In a research note with GF Securities today, analyst Jeff Pu said he expects Apple to outperform in the smartphone market by having an "aggressive pricing strategy" for the ...