Apple's 2nd Beijing store to use classic Chinese design (photos)

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
An architect's portfolio has purportedly revealed a very different design Apple's second retail store for China's capital city -- one that would embrace ancient traditions while thriving on the Mac maker's signature glass and metal.



Shanghai-dwelling but American-born designer Benjamin Wood's portfolio shows several 3D renderings of the new Beijing location, which he describes as "in progress."



Noted by readers of ifo Apple Store the three-storey building on Qianmen Street would be dominated by very traditional Chinese architecture for its 100-foot length with historical roofing and dark wood supports; one end would be rounded off. In the middle, however, would be the glass facade now familiar with Apple's flagship stores as well as a prominent, hanging Apple logo.



Inside, the store would again be a mix of old and new with wood supports but Apple's distinctive spiral glass staircase and swaths of metal.



The location is reportedly scheduled to open as soon as this fall and would stand in stark opposition to the Sanlitun store. Where the Qianmen Street store would potentially open just a few blocks away from Tiananmen Square and would more likely have to conform to longstanding Chinese appearances, the Sanlitun building is located in a hyper-modern shopping district and abandons many of Apple's familiar rules for the shape and size of its retail outlets.



Renderings of the new store follow below.











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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    I really like it, I tend to lean towards old architecture rather than new so this is a pleasent surprise.
  • Reply 2 of 31
    This is what went wrong - using American Born architect to design ??? Come on, there are plenty of local architects who can do a much better job.



    Chinese architecture needs to be inert, the glass facade is like a open heart surgery, it is very rude. There is a Chinese design called Moon Gate, Apple should come up with an Apple Gate since its curvy shape already look like a full moon.

  • Reply 3 of 31
    delreyjonesdelreyjones Posts: 335member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paulchsieh View Post


    This is what went wrong - using American Born architect to design ??? Come on, there are plenty of local architects who can do a much better job.



    Chinese architecture needs to be inert, the glass facade is like a open heart surgery, it is very rude. There is a Chinese design called Moon Gate, Apple should come up with an Apple Gate since its curvy shape already look like a full moon.





    I agree. The photos make it look anything but organic. I can't imagine Jonathan Ive creating anything with this kind of rude gestalt.
  • Reply 4 of 31
    that glass facade in the middle just stick out like a sore thumb. Why is apple doing this when China's major cities's skyscapers are western modern style, glass and steel. They should make the whole thing a glass cube. China unlike Chicago(?) is not force Apple's design to match its surroundings.
  • Reply 5 of 31
    fast fred 1fast fred 1 Posts: 294member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lightstriker View Post


    that glass facade in the middle just stick out like a sore thumb. Why is apple doing this when China's major cities's skyscapers are western modern style, glass and steel. They should make the whole thing a glass cube. China unlike Chicago(?) is not force Apple's design to match its surroundings.



    The other store,..... is a glass box.



    And with two stores you get .....errr fried rice?
  • Reply 6 of 31
    p lp l Posts: 64member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paulchsieh View Post


    This is what went wrong - using American Born architect to design ??? Come on, there are plenty of local architects who can do a much better job.



    Chinese architecture needs to be inert, the glass facade is like a open heart surgery, it is very rude. There is a Chinese design called Moon Gate, Apple should come up with an Apple Gate since its curvy shape already look like a full moon.





    Absolutely!

    When in Rome!
  • Reply 7 of 31
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Freakin' Gorgeous.
  • Reply 8 of 31
    christopher126christopher126 Posts: 4,366member
    We get the architecture we deserve....
  • Reply 9 of 31
    italiankiditaliankid Posts: 279member
    this is why we pay a premium for Apple products...



    The products themselves are not worth the money they ask for. You pay big bucks so they can have lavish stores.
  • Reply 10 of 31
    The rendering you are seeing here was rejected by the Chinese as it did not fit in the designs of the rest of the project. A new design is yet to be approved but it WILL NOT be a glass box. Not only do the Chinese officials and project managers need to sign off but Steve himself has to approve the final design as well. Word is that it will be very appropriate for the site and will be very different than any other Apple store.
  • Reply 11 of 31
    This is a Disney version of Chinese architecture. Fortunately this is apparently not what they're going with.
  • Reply 12 of 31
    pg4gpg4g Posts: 383member
    This looks ok at first glance, but the more you look at it... YUK!



    I mean, I love traditional Chinese architecture. But this? This is plain horrible.
  • Reply 13 of 31
    anawrahtaanawrahta Posts: 28member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paulchsieh View Post


    This is what went wrong - using American Born architect to design ??? Come on, there are plenty of local architects who can do a much better job.



    The guy is technically local as he's based out of Shanghai. Oh but wait, because he doesn't have Han blood he's no good right?

  • Reply 14 of 31
    chronsterchronster Posts: 1,894member
    Appera!
  • Reply 15 of 31
    taurontauron Posts: 911member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paulchsieh View Post


    This is what went wrong - using American Born architect to design ??? Come on, there are plenty of local architects who can do a much better job.



    Chinese architecture needs to be inert, the glass facade is like a open heart surgery, it is very rude. There is a Chinese design called Moon Gate, Apple should come up with an Apple Gate since its curvy shape already look like a full moon.





    I am happy to see that the Californication of China is proceeding apace.
  • Reply 16 of 31
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    China has banned Twitter. Communism is looking pretty good right now.
  • Reply 17 of 31
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tauron View Post


    I am happy to see that the Californication of China is proceeding apace.



    You've not seen this for YEARS now? I have a close friend that is a practicing architect there, and he's from there. Chinese architecture is decades ahead of design here, simply because architecture in the US has stagnated to preserve styles from the colonial times, most modern design in this country comes from outside, I.M. Pei, Rem Koolhaus, Daniel Liebskin. We really only see Frank Gehry, and Morphosis as prominent Post-Modern designers in this country.



    Look at pictures of Shanghai, (Hong Kong was under British control up til only recently, but most of the design there are indicative to the metropolitan areas of China). Don't assume the Great Wall is the only thing over there.
  • Reply 18 of 31
    mcmlxixmcmlxix Posts: 32member
    When was the last time and how often has genuinely traditional Chinese architecture been employed in new urban construction in China? The Cultural Revolution destroyed the traditional in the name of being revolutionary. Now that the errors of the Cultural Revolution have been accepted, the remnants are being destroyed in the name of efficiency and modernity. Mile upon mile of communist concrete blocks, that?s China. This isn?t to say that everything is conformist and bland. Public architecture (Olympic village, Shanghai skyline, etc) are very innovative, but not traditional. And can we even do traditional anymore without it coming off like the trite Disneylandification of the built environment that it is?
  • Reply 19 of 31
    macnycmacnyc Posts: 342member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by roehlstation View Post


    You've not seen this for YEARS now? I have a close friend that is a practicing architect there, and he's from there. Chinese architecture is decades ahead of design here, simply because architecture in the US has stagnated to preserve styles from the colonial times, most modern design in this country comes from outside, I.M. Pei, Rem Koolhaus, Daniel Liebskin. We really only see Frank Gehry, and Morphosis as prominent Post-Modern designers in this country.



    Look at pictures of Shanghai, (Hong Kong was under British control up til only recently, but most of the design there are indicative to the metropolitan areas of China). Don't assume the Great Wall is the only thing over there.



    You have to be kidding! Chinese architecture is decades ahead?! Is that why all the famous buildings of the Beijing Olympics were designed by westerners?!



    There are many talented american modern (not post-modern, get your terms right) designers. The USA has not stagnated since colonial times. It would seem you are forgetting the birth of skyscrapers here among other things.



    If you look at Shanghai, you will see the architectural rape of a city, It's a disaster not something to be proud of.



    Don't quit your day job for that of an architectural critic.
  • Reply 20 of 31
    jimzipjimzip Posts: 446member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by macnyc View Post


    You have to be kidding! Chinese architecture is decades ahead?! Is that why all the famous buildings of the Beijing Olympics were designed by westerners?!



    There are many talented american modern (not post-modern, get your terms right) designers. The USA has not stagnated since colonial times. It would seem you are forgetting the birth of skyscrapers here among other things.



    If you look at Shanghai, you will see the architectural rape of a city, It's a disaster not something to be proud of.



    Don't quit your day job for that of an architectural critic.



    Um, I don't claim to be an architectural critic, but:



    http://images.google.com/images?rls=...N&hl=en&tab=wi



    http://images.google.com/images?rls=...N&hl=en&tab=wi



    I know which one looks cooler to me...



    Jimzip
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