New in OS X: Get MacRumors Push Notifications on your Mac

Resubscribe Now Close

Apple Previews New Piazza Liberty Store, Opening Thursday in Milan

Tuesday July 24, 2018 2:34 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple today premiered this week's opening of Apple Piazza Liberty in the center of Milan, Italy. Set to open its doors on Thursday, the retail location features a dramatic glass fountain that serves as the entrance to the store and a backdrop to the large outdoor amphitheater.

The piazza, clad in Beola Grigia, a stone used throughout Milan, will be open to the public 24 hours a day and will host special events year-round amongst 14 Gleditsia Sunburst trees planted in the area.

"There's no better expression of our vision for Apple stores serving as modern-day gathering places than Apple Piazza Liberty," said Angela Ahrendts, Apple's senior vice president of Retail. "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."
Apple Piazza Liberty will host a variety of Today at Apple sessions, taking in photography, filmmaking, music creation, coding, design and more. This September, Apple Piazza Liberty will also host a special month-long Milan Series, where 21 local artists will share their visions for the creative future of Milan, as previewed on a special Apple.com web page.

There will be live music in the location's amphitheater on the opening night by musician LIM, a "crazy self-portraits" session with Olimpia Zagnoli on July 27, a photographic laboratory with Piotr Niepsuj on July 28, and a "draw the summer" class on July 29.

"To work within one of Italy's historic piazzas is both a great responsibility and 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 multi-sensory experience as visitors enter the store through a cascading fountain that seems to envelop them."
The store will employ 230 staff, many of whom have come to Milan from Apple stores around the world, according to Apple. Apple Piazza Liberty opens Thursday, July 26, at 5pm, and registrations for Today at Apple can be made now on Apple's website.

Tags: Italy, Apple retail
[ 49 comments ]


Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
giggles
11 months ago
(By the way “Liberty” in this instance stands for “Art Nouveau”, not literally “liberty”, for anyone wondering why an Italian piazza is called “liberty” instead of “libertà”)
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
villicodelirant
11 months ago

... and MR forum fixation with “watch straps” lives on.


I mean, in the second picture the only visible products are, in fact, straps.

I'd say it's Apple PR department that is fixated with straps (for a reason: those babies probably cost 10c a pop to make and sell themselves).
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Jarman74
11 months ago

"We combined two fundamental elements of the Italian piazza -- water and stone -- adding a glass portal that creates a multi-sensory experience as visitors enter the store through a cascading fountain that seems to envelop them." ('https://www.macrumors.com/2018/07/24/apple-preivew-piazza-liberty-store-thursday-milan/')

If one day Apple ever decides to develop an automated catchphrase generator, I'm sure Jony's contribution to the project would be unparalleled.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
djcerla
11 months ago

Seems to be focusing on watch straps. Not much else to see.


... and MR forum fixation with “watch straps” lives on.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
kyjaotkb
11 months ago
Peak Angela Ahrendts! let's build an architectural marvel at the heart of the global centre for fashion. They better sell a lot of macbook leather sleeves. Jokes apart, this is beautiful.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
Kabeyun
11 months ago
Nice. Apple sure can do design.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
djcerla
11 months ago
What an absolute marvel. Apple is creating modern landmarks.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
the future
11 months ago

I'd say it's Apple PR department that is fixated with straps (for a reason: those babies probably cost 10c a pop to make and sell themselves).


Wrong.

If the straps are so cheap to make, why are the 10$ silicone straps from Amazon etc. such crappy lint magnets compared to the originals? Answer:

The thing that shocked me, and I've been working in the watch industry doing product development for almost 2 decades now, was that on a raw materials' basis, FKM costs almost SEVEN times as much as silicone.


https://www.juukdesign.com/single-post/2017/06/02/Why-Are-Apples-Sport-Bands-So-Expensive
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
Someyoungguy
11 months ago

Wrong.

If the straps are so cheap to make, why are the 10$ silicone straps from Amazon etc. such crappy lint magnets compared to the originals? Answer:



https://www.juukdesign.com/single-post/2017/06/02/Why-Are-Apples-Sport-Bands-So-Expensive



7 x 10 cents is 70 cents. And your quote doesn’t apply to my nylon sports strap, does it?

As for the store, wow, birch tables spread out in a large room and a Genius Bar. I guess it’s all about the glass outside.
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
weckart
11 months ago
Seems to be focusing on watch straps. Not much else to see.
Rating: 2 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]