Apple Store Liberty. The first Italian flagship store changes the face of a piazza in Milan

“La Dolce vita” is a view of Italy which has little to do with Milan, yet the way in which the new Apple Store Liberty has managed to adapt it to the city is a perfect example of its austere spirit. There are those who know how to revel in luxury in these parts, of course, but they steer clear of exhibitionism. In this sense, the fact that it is not immediately clear that the glass structure surrounded by fountains in the centre of Piazza Liberty – just a short distance from San Babila – is the entrance to the first Apple flagship store in Italy will be a source of delight to the Milanese. Even more appreciated is the fact that, apart from the symbol of the bitten apple discretely applied to the structure, there is no sign of an iPhone, iPad or MacBook Pro in sight. These are instead to be found two floors underground, in an organised space with specially-designed wooden tables, just like in all the Apple stores.

The reason for this apparent commercial obscurity lies in the role that this retail space seeks to play in the urban fabric of Milan, which is to provide a new space where people can spend time, talk, and meet friends, attracted by a 56-jet fountain which reaches a height of eight metres, and a second element which characterises the typical structure of an Italian square: the chromatic uniformity of the materials used, the Beola Grigia stone. This has not been used simply to pave the ground, but to create a “square” terraced amphitheatre which, facing one of the sides of the fountain, represents the space dedicated to the city. Open 24 hours a day, it will in fact be the venue for a multitude of events, including film screenings.

Read the full article on Domus here.

Author Cristiano Vitali

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