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Apple Says New Piazza Liberty Store in Milan, Italy With Waterfall Entrance is Coming Soon

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Apple today announced that it will soon open a new retail store at Piazza Liberty, or Liberty Square, in Milan, Italy.

apple-milan-2.jpg

As revealed in city planning documents earlier this year, the store will be located entirely below the outdoor amphitheater. The sales floor will be accessible by walking down a staircase situated between two waterfalls that form part of the larger fountain. There will also be an elevator available.

Apple is developing the store in partnership with architecture firm Foster and Partners, who have helped design many of the company's most significant retail spaces around the world and its new Apple Park headquarters.

apple-milan-1.jpg

Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts wants Apple Stores to be more of community gathering places, rather than just a place to buy the latest iPhone or iPad. As part of those plans, Apple Piazza Liberty will be an open space for all to "have a break, be with friends, and discover new interests."

The store will feature Apple's next-generation retail design with indoor trees and a large screen for "Today at Apple" sessions and other events.

(Thanks, setteBIT!)

Article Link: Apple Says New Piazza Liberty Store in Milan, Italy With Waterfall Entrance is Coming Soon
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/05/15/apple-store-liberty-square-milan-italy-soon/
Last edited:
convergent said:
So when you are evaluating which tech product to buy, where does "the maker invests in stunning architecture" fit into the priorities for a decision?
Click to expand...

It doesn't.

You would need to have an awareness of art history and architecture over hundreds/thousands of years in order to understand my comment. To help foster that awareness, you might consider enrolling in a few art history classes at the local junior college.
 
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Apple stores won't be a destination for most if they continue to be stingy with floor space. They have the highest revenue per square foot in the industry. I've been to a couple of their stores (the only ones near me are a couple of hours in either direction and are like concrete shoeboxes), and there's no way you could focus in a class. The stores are tiny and packed. I once brought my MBP in because the fan was loud, and to talk to the Genius we had to yell back and forth to hear each other. There was no way he could hear the fan noise. I didn't see where they could possibly conduct their movie, photo, etc. classes. I didn't even see how you could buy a product. It was like Mardi Gras in there. I've never seen prostitutes (that I'm aware of), but my dad who was with me told me he thought a number of the people who were standing around were prostitutes or at least looking for a date. I can't speak to that. But it was packed to the gills.

Somehow, Best Buy has a store a few minutes from me, it's gigantic, and it's a ghost town. Same with Dick's sporting goods. I went in there once and I think there were more employees than customers. I can see how that doesn't make good business sense, but Apple's experience is terrible. I guess it's good for the same people who like going to Times Square on NYE, but that's not me.
 
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swingerofbirch said:
Apple stores won't be a destination for most if they continue to be stingy with floor space. They have the highest revenue per square foot in the industry. I've been to a couple of their stores (the only ones near me are a couple of hours in either direction and are like concrete shoeboxes), and there's no way you could focus in a class. The stores are tiny and packed. I once brought my MBP in because the fan was loud, and to talk to the Genius we had to yell back and forth to hear each other. There was no way he could hear the fan noise. I didn't see where they could possibly conduct their movie, photo, etc. classes. I didn't even see how you could buy a product. It was like Mardi Gras in there. I've never seen prostitutes (that I'm aware of), but my dad who was with me told me he thought a number of the people who were standing around were prostitutes or at least looking for a date. I can't speak to that. But it was packed to the gills.

Somehow, Best Buy has a store a few minutes from me, it's gigantic, and it's a ghost town. Same with Dick's sporting goods. I went in there once and I think there were more employees than customers. I can see how that doesn't make good business sense, but Apple's experience is terrible. I guess it's good for the same people who like going to Times Square on NYE, but that's not me.
Click to expand...

But that's not uniform. It's true with older and smaller Apple stores in smaller malls. But stand-alone flagship stores, say in San Francisco, are huge and have areas set up for presentations and other functions. I imagine the transition will take some time.
 
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citysnaps said:
It doesn't.

You would need to have an awareness of art history and architecture over hundreds/thousands of years in order to understand my comment. To help foster that awareness, you might consider enrolling in a few art history classes at the local junior college.
Click to expand...

Insufferable. Perhaps you should study the last few decades of the tech industry and how Apple has become the masters of marketing. No college courses required.
 
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convergent said:
So when you are evaluating which tech product to buy, where does "the maker invests in stunning architecture" fit into the priorities for a decision?
Click to expand...

How is this a bad thing? It doesn't need to affect the decision of buying the product. It's just... nice.

FrenchRoasted said:
Insufferable. Perhaps you should study the last few decades of the tech industry and how Apple has become the masters of marketing. No college courses required.
Click to expand...

Marketing or not, how is a new Apple Store which conforms to existing architecture a bad thing?
 
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mazz0 said:
Why would we use shops, even Apple shops, as community gathering places? Are they going to have chairs and tables with no Apple products on, and start selling food and drink?

Ooh, like that ancient Apple cyber cafe concept we saw pictures of a while back?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm just not seeing this without there being a place to get food and drink. Maybe put a coffee bar in there and we can talk. But add too many free tables and folks will just start camping there and taking advantage of wifi.

In any case, with hardware being released only twice a year, there really isn't much reason to stop by often to check out the latest and greatest. And I live in NYC and I can visit an Apple store by walking two minutes out of the way on my morning commute.
 
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Amazing how you can descend into childish arguments so quickly these days.

5 comments, amazing o_O
 
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FrenchRoasted said:
Insufferable. Perhaps you should study the last few decades of the tech industry and how Apple has become the masters of marketing. No college courses required.
Click to expand...

No need to study, having worked a couple decades in tech in silicon valley, a few miles from Apple. Of course Apple is a master of marketing. And?

Again, if you were aware how great architecture has played a role in society over many years you would have a better understanding why that exists. Try some art history classes and you may have a different perspective about how art and architecture play a role in society, and you might even lose your cynicism and learn something new.
 
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citysnaps said:
No need to study, having worked a couple decades in tech in silicon valley, a few miles from Apple. Of course Apple is a master of marketing. And?

Again, if you were aware how great architecture has played a role in society over many years you would have a better understanding why that exists. Try some art history classes and you may have a different perspective about how art and architecture play a role in society, and you might even lose your cynicism and learn something new.
Click to expand...

Ladies, please put your handbags away.
 
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I'm still waiting for an official Apple store in Thailand. Why despite us being ranked among top spenders in SE Asia, we are still being kept in the dark corner with "official" resellers with bad aftersale services!? :(
 
This Piazza Liberty is in a very strategic position, considering that almost every single tourist in Milano chooses the "Duomo" underground station and next goes through the shopping streets in that direction, in the middle of countless opportunities for getting food and drink. I am very curious to see what the real thing will look like, the rendering images look promising.
convergent said:
So when you are evaluating which tech product to buy, where does "the maker invests in stunning architecture" fit into the priorities for a decision?
Click to expand...
If you'll ever come to see this part of Milano, 5 mins walk from Via della Spiga or Montenapoleone, I'm sure you'll reconsider the need of your question. No offense.
 
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convergent said:
So when you are evaluating which tech product to buy, where does "the maker invests in stunning architecture" fit into the priorities for a decision?
Click to expand...

"Advertising doesn't work on me"

"What matters is that you are beautiful inside"
 
convergent said:
So when you are evaluating which tech product to buy, where does "the maker invests in stunning architecture" fit into the priorities for a decision?
Click to expand...

Most people don't do anything like "evaluate which tech product to buy" when getting a new phone, or tablet, or watch, or headphones, or even a laptop.

They're not poring over specs online and making a spreadsheet, there are so many other factors involved. If a beautiful store gets more people in the door to hold an iphone and realize they like it, it's going to help sell more iphones.
 
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It will be really close to the Duomo of Milan. The famous Montenapoleone street is not far from there. A lot of people go there just shopping, many of them are tourist. I don't know how many will buy Apple stuff with italian prices though.
For me it and hundred of thousands of people working in Milan it will be the most convenient store, the other ones are in malls outside the city.
 
Anyone know if this is already under construction? I'll be in Milan next month and would love to see this thing but I doubt it opens that soon.
 
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