Apple's Plans for New Flagship San Francisco Store Receiving Criticism

[genovelle]

Apple just got carried away with the glass box thing. A good design incorporates and uses the environment, in this case fountains and sculptures.

Why not build around them? This is not a good design at all and indeed somebody should make them stop.

Bashing Apple? I am a stockholder and have an all-Mac house, but Apple does get arrogant and lazy at times and sometimes needs to be refocused.

From listening to some posters from this area they are happy they are not keeping the fountain.

 

[Rogifan]

No - but this is MacRumors - so you're likely to read a lot of stories that both praise and criticize Apple.

That aside - personally I think removing artwork that is clearly a part of history there isn't the wises PR move Apple could make.

I wasn't aware this was a PR issue for Apple.

 

[HussamRaed]

Even my grandmother's toes look better than this fountain... Build it anyways, Apple.

 

[WestonHarvey1]

Really? Is he just spouting political drivel as mayor or is there grounds for this claim?

Are there grounds? Yeah, pretty much. Silicon Valley, and all that. Feel free to add other cities to a very short list, but if SF isn't #1 or #2 on your list don't expect anyone to think you have any idea what you're talking about.

 

[Rogifan]

Trying to up your post count by adding the typical "slow news day" comment.

Guess you can't say, I thought this was MacRumors since this is a story about Apple!

It's becoming a typical comment because every day there seems to be more non-stories on the front page of MR.

 

[rjohnstone]

A full wall of glass and a cantilevered second floor in a city known for earthquakes.
Yeah... I'll pass.
I bet insuring it will not be cheap either.

 

[nutjob]

Ugh, so nice of Lee to kiss APple's backside so vigorously. God forbid the city be objective.

 

[ladeer]

Hi,

Art is subjective and can become "obsolete" in function and form.
The fountain may now be obsolete. Not my call.

Anyway, architects draw pretty pictures and engineers tell them it can't be done. The problem with some architects is that they are so hell bent on their designs not being modified that you get crappy structures.

Example - Frank Lloyd Wright
He designed beautiful buildings with great lines.

Lines that have roofs that go downhill into a wall. Guess what? They leak.
Beautiful buildings with flat roofs. Guess what? Water puddles and they leak.

Architects bear responsibility in designing buildings that are functional. You can have faulty design, that no matter how good the construction techniques, will have problems. Architects are trained in construction techniques.

Hi,
In your examples, why can't the construction firms add some draining outlets on such roof, even invisible one to avoid the leak? Thanks for your insight and I am really interested in the architecture process too.

 

[bnaron]

Does the shop actually slant downwards towards the back like that, or is the perspective just seriously messed up in that mock-up?

Someone needs to revisit one-point perspective class

 

[freediverdude]

True, I am a bit worried about all that glass and second floor in an earthquake zone. But about the fountain, why don't they just incorporate the fountain and steps into the new store, make it inside the store, and be preserved even better that way. (Although I draw the line at turning the fountain into a genius bar, lol.)

 

[rei101]

The fountain looks hideous.

It reminds me Giger, for shure is from that era.

 

[Kissaragi]

The building is a bit lacklustre, sure they could do better than that.

If the fountain is well loved then why cant they build it into the store?

 

[MegamanX]

I am honestly surprised SF does not have LEEDS requirement for new construction. The glass wall design tends to fail in that department pretty badly.

 

[samcraig]

I wasn't aware this was a PR issue for Apple.

Really? Because it becomes a PR issue the second a story hits the paper or online press. You can argue whether it's a large or small one. But you really can't argue it's not a PR issue at all.

 

[Mr Fusion]

You do realize that the Levi's store there now is just a grey box with a largely glass front already, right? It seems to have fit in there for decades just fine.

Image

As you have pointed out so well, the Levi's store does not fit in.

So that's an excuse to replace it with something in just as poor taste?

 

[Dr McKay]

Are there grounds? Yeah, pretty much. Silicon Valley, and all that. Feel free to add other cities to a very short list, but if SF isn't #1 or #2 on your list don't expect anyone to think you have any idea what you're talking about.

I thought Silicon Valley was in San Jose? Not San Francisco?

 

[GREEN4U]

Apple's all-glass designs were really cool way back in the 2000s! But then again, so were iPods, iMacs, and iPhones too. Tim Cook sucks.

 

[i-think]

Maybe I don't understand art...but that fountain is really UGLY. i-think: Apple is doing the city a favor.

 

[Pietro25]

Have the people who dislike this fountain stopped to look at it? Do they only know it from photographs?

I recommend the people who don't like this fountain have a good look at it before they pass judgement. It is considered an SF landmark.

 

[sessamoid]

As you have pointed out so well, the Levi's store does not fit in.

So that's an excuse to replace it with something in just as poor taste?

Reading comprehension isn't your strong suit. Where did I say that the Levi's store didn't fit in?

 

[mgescuro]

That fountain is ugly. And I fail to see how "important" that plaza is, given that it's hidden behind the Levis building and next to a Grand Hyatt, with some random exit door from the hotel. It's not even the main hotel entrance. Move the fountain, if people think it's that important.

Frankly, that plaza is a waste. There's nothing there but steps.

Also, I think the proposed Apple store is waaaaay too small. They say it's 45% larger than the current one? Frankly, it needs to be 100% larger.

 

[chadua]

It would be cool if they made it all glass like the NYC cube. It would also be cool if they figured out a method for incorporating the plaza into the store design.

 

[ValSalva]

Apple should leave the fountain where it is! But maybe they could smooth it out a bit and put some nice chamfers on it...

 

[marksman]

Wow slow news day indeed when this makes the front page.

Please just stop.

 

[jcaramanica]

why is it that whenever I think of "Apple" the word "complain" comes to mind? it's a damn building. who cares? nobody says anything about all of the Bank of Americas or Chase Bank branches that look the same. this world is becoming too whiney.