Third time’s the charm, at least in the case of Apple’s Foster + Partners-designed flagship store planned for San Francisco’s historic Union Square. After being sent back to the drawings boards on multiple occasions, the signature glass box’s third proposal (which was claimed to be “more iconic” than the company’s famous Five Avenue glass cube in New York City) has been awarded approval from the city.
The revised design will include two 44-foot tall, 23-feet wide sliding glass panels that expose the building’s interior to the area’s main pedestrian corridor. Though original plans aimed to relocate the existing Stockton Street store entrance towards this corridor and Union Square, city officials and critics rejected the idea as it would result in the removal of the historic Ruth Asawa Fountain and the construction of a 80-foot long wall along the populated sidewalk. Thus, Apple’s response was to enhance it’s main entrance side entrance with these massive glass panels.
You can view the original design here.
