Indeed, I read “Pizza Hut pagoda” and thought hyperbole. Then I saw the parody of Apple, Eastern culture, and the pizza chain and splattered my iMac pro screen with milk.The original design is ugly - that's just me. I know people are going to say this and that, but everyone has a different taste
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Apple Revises Plans for Contentious Federation Square Store in Australia
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There are angles. That's it. Hey let's try this!
There ya go Melbourne!
There ya go Melbourne!
People need to remember that the controversy about the original design wasn't just about the design, a significant amount of the controversy was due to the fact that the construction of the Apple Store involved the demolition of building housing the Koorie Heritage Trust an Aboriginal art gallery.
Federation Square's southern building to be replaced by Apple store
Federation Square's southern building to be replaced by Apple store
When you have a public frenzy, there's always gonna be backlash.
yuk.. shabby workmanship
yuk.. shabby workmanship
Fed square is a beautiful place (and no shopping centre at all as suggested in the article). There are art galleries, lots of restaurants and bars, the tourist information, and lots of public space which is a meeting point and event space with a stage (we watch the Australian Open in a public viewing), cultural days, street performers - a central hub in the city.
I am a Melbourne local and even if the architecture has been controversial it is now widely accepted. I personally think it is a great spot in Melbourne and the architecture as a whole looks beautiful.
The Apple design disrespects the feel and atmosphere of the place. I would even go that far and say that there should be no store on Federation Square ... we have Burke Street Mall for that! Kicking out an Aboriginal Gallery in the process and totally demolishing that building. Right so that Melbourne protests!
The new design looks definitely better but the photos they released don't show a lot. On the other side I agree that the Yarra building does not help integrating Fed Square and the Yarra Promenade. A better link would be great but I rather have a cool bar there than an Apple store. Maybe it's time for the Genius Bar to serve food and drinks!
I am a Melbourne local and even if the architecture has been controversial it is now widely accepted. I personally think it is a great spot in Melbourne and the architecture as a whole looks beautiful.
The Apple design disrespects the feel and atmosphere of the place. I would even go that far and say that there should be no store on Federation Square ... we have Burke Street Mall for that! Kicking out an Aboriginal Gallery in the process and totally demolishing that building. Right so that Melbourne protests!
The new design looks definitely better but the photos they released don't show a lot. On the other side I agree that the Yarra building does not help integrating Fed Square and the Yarra Promenade. A better link would be great but I rather have a cool bar there than an Apple store. Maybe it's time for the Genius Bar to serve food and drinks!
So what would YOU do to that property to revitalize the area?
"Pizza Hut"? You berks. It's an homage to the classic Aussie veranda. I love it!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veranda
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veranda
I’m an Australian, and when I visited Melbourne I was stunned to find an incredibly ugly city. Fed Square was like someone had thrown up a student’s building project, and the city was littered with some of the ugliest 70s buildings I’ve ever seen.
Fighting to preserve the look of Fed Square just seems crazy to me. It already looks terrible. That said, if the issue was about Apple affecting the culture of a place... that I can understand.
Good old Apple bustled there way into the heart of our city centre. We bustled back, they gave a bit. In the end it’s a much better design that is more on brand and gives us all a reason to go to Fed Square whilst avoiding the crappy suburban shopping centres of Chadstone, Southland et all. Win. Win.
Maybe they should consider the surrounding buildings for once. St. Paul's Cathedral, Flinders Street Station, the bridge. The original architects of the Federation Square did make a bit of an "Up yours" statement to classical tastes (that's art, can't argue it now), and now no one can get a decent photo of those iconic buildings without the existing buildings, which in no way frame the scene that once existed. More than happy for Federation Square to get demolished, but maybe Apple can ask their graphic designers how to get the building to work in that space. Anything that gets built there will be a tourist attraction or detraction. Need to get it right.
Completely agree with you. It’s like someone took the Borg Cube concept from Star Trek, got the builders really drunk and let them build it at night without the lights on. In my opinion, the design of all the architecture in Fed Square is so poor and disappointing. A missed opportunity indeed 20 years ago when they were brainstorming new ideas for the location.
I hardly visit the area anymore, and I live about a half hour walk from the Square.
I really liked Apple’s first design (similar to a Japanese Pagoda, which is geographically fitting for our location in the world). But I welcome the redesign and hope it gets built!
I disagree with those that say public input is bad. Well not necessarily.
In the case of Buffalo, NY, about a decade ago a state authority wanted to redevlop the site where the Sabres used to play into a historic rendition of the Erie Canal Harbor during the late 1800s. The anchor tenant was to be Bass Pro.
Much like this Melbourne project, there was a backlash from area residents, but also financing and other issues that torpedoed the project. Bass Pro pulled out, and over 10 years they rebuilt the old canals and now it's a shovel-ready "park," called Canalside, with a Children's museum under construction. If you want pictures I would Google it, it really is an area with great potential for historically accurate development.
I doubt Apple would move from its Walden Galleria location to this district, but it would inject life into a seemingly sleepy, 9-5 downtown.
In the case of Buffalo, NY, about a decade ago a state authority wanted to redevlop the site where the Sabres used to play into a historic rendition of the Erie Canal Harbor during the late 1800s. The anchor tenant was to be Bass Pro.
Much like this Melbourne project, there was a backlash from area residents, but also financing and other issues that torpedoed the project. Bass Pro pulled out, and over 10 years they rebuilt the old canals and now it's a shovel-ready "park," called Canalside, with a Children's museum under construction. If you want pictures I would Google it, it really is an area with great potential for historically accurate development.
I doubt Apple would move from its Walden Galleria location to this district, but it would inject life into a seemingly sleepy, 9-5 downtown.
An Apple store would be an improvement for that embarrassing eyesore called federation square, the only purpose of which would be to prove Melbourne denizens are different to the rest of the country, who giggle at the mere thought of this monstrosity.
I am sure the first ‘confronting’ Apple store design was done because Apple architects knew it was just the kind of ‘confronting’ that would appeal to the sort of tossers who consider themselves the gatekeepers of public space design. But the key thing from Apple’s perspective is it got building approval from the gatekeepers.
The subsequent carry-on then allowed Apple to junk the original design and then propose a design more consistent with its other stores around the world. What an amazing coincidence!
Well played Apple! Well played!
I am sure the first ‘confronting’ Apple store design was done because Apple architects knew it was just the kind of ‘confronting’ that would appeal to the sort of tossers who consider themselves the gatekeepers of public space design. But the key thing from Apple’s perspective is it got building approval from the gatekeepers.
The subsequent carry-on then allowed Apple to junk the original design and then propose a design more consistent with its other stores around the world. What an amazing coincidence!
Well played Apple! Well played!
Fed Square is an ugly, soulless place. If there was an Apple Store then it might be worth visiting.
Museum, something related to arts. That's what Federation Square for.
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There're enough people visiting without Apple Store already
Melbournians are sensitive about their art spaces because it's part of the whole narrative that says they're better than Sydney, despite their lack of a harbour, good beaches, etc.
Federation square is actually Melbourne's Darling Harbour and half the latte sipping wankers walking through it probably need their iPhones mended in the Apple store because they spilt their kale smoothies on them.
(I don't expect non Australians to understand any of this)
Federation square is actually Melbourne's Darling Harbour and half the latte sipping wankers walking through it probably need their iPhones mended in the Apple store because they spilt their kale smoothies on them.
(I don't expect non Australians to understand any of this)
Every city in the world where you have a reasonable chance of walking home at night and surviving wins someone’s most liveable city in the world award
I don't have a problem with it. I mean the architecture of federation square is and always will be ugly, it has not grown on me over time. So why not put an apple store there?
MA, the only reason the rest of the country might care the odd thought about the liveable city award thing is to laugh at the Melbourne people who take it seriously. And both Sydney and Melbourne have a terrible crime issue compared with the rest of the country. But Melbourne also has a terrible climate and their harbour sucks. Their coffee isn't even that good.Every city in the world where you have a reasonable chance of walking home at night and surviving wins someone’s most liveable city in the world award
This Yarra building is the ugliest building in the world. But then again, Melbourne is a city of wankers.
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Honestly, this square is one of the ugliest parts of Australia
The permitting process can get out of control, but it's useful at least to a point. As several have said, the revised design appears far superior to the original one, which was remarkably uninspired. We saw the same thing in the multiple revisions Apple had to make to gain approval of their new San Francisco flagship -- the end result is better than the early ones. And in general, cities known for their architecture -- while arguably difficult places to develop -- are usually the ones that force developers to spend more effort and money to turn what might have been bland, bottom-line offerings into buildings that elevate their surroundings.
To be sure, I've seen that process go to far -- for example, situations where good projects fell victim to the anti-density crowd -- but nothing here seems to suggest that Melbourne went too far here.
Apple have been trying for years to locate a suitable site for their CBD Melbourne store without success. Moving away from the traditional retail hub is a risky move and trying to locate at Fed Square overlooking the river and taking on a more flagship role is great for the city.
No one complained when H&M took over the GPO, or Emporium replaced Myer.
Its called progress. Fed Square needs all the love and attention it can get!
No one complained when H&M took over the GPO, or Emporium replaced Myer.
Its called progress. Fed Square needs all the love and attention it can get!