Apple today opened its new store in Battersea, South West London – the second to feature the company's overhauled retail store design after the Tysons Corner revamp last month.
Apple Battersea is the 40th Apple Store in the UK and it is located inside the redeveloped Battersea Power Station on the Ground Floor in Turbine Hall A. The building is a decommissioned coal-fired power station, regarded as an iconic landmark owing to its Art Deco fittings and status as one of the world's largest brick constructions.
The store is positioned around four original brick piers from the 1930s, with exposed steel supports on the ceiling. The walls feature an overlaid oak framework of shelving and a revamped fixture set, defining a Genius Bar, hardware flex space, Apple Watch Studio, pickup area, and more. With the new design, Apple has increased the amount of circulation space around the edge of the store. New acoustic baffles on the ceiling improve acoustic clarity inside the store. Apple Battersea also uses more biomaterials to reduce reliance on carbon-intensive elements.
Apple had moved away from physical Genius Bar sections in its stores in recent years, but Apple Battersea has a dedicated Genius Bar in the left rear corner. This is the second fully fledged Genius Bar that Apple has installed in a store since 2015. The reimagined Genius Bar has a counter for stand-up service in addition to a lowered area where customers can be served sitting down.
The store's flexible hardware space is designed to spotlight Apple's latest devices and can be adapted over time. There is also an in-person Apple Watch Studio where customers can mix and match Apple Watch cases and bands.
Today at Apple sessions at the store draw inspiration from the local area, including photo and art tours around the building. In celebration of the opening of Apple Battersea, Apple Music will host live performances outside the store throughout the rest of the week.
Battersea Power Station is also home to Apple's new UK headquarters, with enough space for approximately 3,000 employees. Apple occupies around 40 percent of the entire building, including the top six floors inside the former boiler room around a central atrium. The company first announced plans for the new campus in 2016. Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook told London's Evening Standard:
Battersea Power Station and its surrounding area has undergone a "painstaking" restoration process in recent years. In addition to Apple's office space, the building contains three floors of shops, bars, and restaurants, a 24,000 sq ft food hall, 253 apartments around a "garden square in the sky," a 2,000-seat auditorium and cinema, and more.
Article Link: Apple's Battersea Store Opens Today, Second to Feature All-New Design
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