Apple shrouds Fifth Ave glass cube inside another cube as renovations begin

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple has constructed a second, temporary cube made of tarps to cover its iconic glass cube at its Fifth Avenue store, as construction to replace the structure has begun.



AppleInsider reader Ryan passed along photos that show the latest look at Apple's flagship store in New York City (included below). Last month, Apple began preparations for major renovations at the store which is open 24 hours a day.



The $6.7 million project will replace and improve the giant 32-foot glass cube that serves as the entrance to the Fifth Avenue retail store. Workers are completely removing the structure and reinstalling it, and the project is expected to be finished by November.



For those who visit the store now, a makeshift hallway has been built, complete with overhead lights, to access the stairs that lead to the underground store. Inside, the ongoing construction is blocked from the view of customers with white tarps.



The impressive structure has been a New York City destination since it opened in May of 2006. A recent study found that it is one of the most photographed locations in the entire city.



Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs personally designed and even paid for the hollow glass structure that serves as the store's entrance. The latest renovations are not the first time the structure has been tweaked: Shortly before its unveiling in 2006, Jobs was said to have been unhappy with some of the materials used to construct the cube, and last-minute changes were made.



The all-glass design has even inspired other projects from Apple, including its megastore in Shanghai that opened last summer. Like the Fifth Avenue store, its entrance is a staircase enclosed in glass, though the one in China is a cylinder.















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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    rtm135rtm135 Posts: 310member
    Can someone who lives in NY enlighten me: What was wrong with the old cube? Was it falling apart?
  • Reply 2 of 41
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rtm135 View Post


    Can someone who lives in NY enlighten me: What was wrong with the old cube? Was it falling apart?



    What's wrong with the IPhone 4? Yet Apple keeps working on newer and better things, right?
  • Reply 3 of 41
    stelligentstelligent Posts: 2,680member
    I like this new white cube. Its timing coincides neatly with the recent release of the white iPhone. Another brilliant stroke of concomitant marketing by Apple. RIM can learn.



    In other news, Samsung is reportedly constructing a rectangular edifice outside its HQ. It is currently white but rumors have it they have a glass one ready, pending how the 5th Ave renovations go. When asked about the inspiration of the structure, the thin, bespectacled Samsung spokesman in the black mock-turtleneck, blue jeans and black runners replied, "We are competing."
  • Reply 4 of 41
    ghostface147ghostface147 Posts: 1,629member
    Damn and I just arrived to NYC....
  • Reply 5 of 41
    This is New York CIty. The new design therefore will be a Chinese take-out box.
  • Reply 6 of 41
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rtm135 View Post


    Can someone who lives in NY enlighten me: What was wrong with the old cube? Was it falling apart?



    Good question.



    I had the impression from an earlier article that for all we know, they may simply put the old cube back nearly as it was; but that they may have needed to remove it for the sake of sourrounding rennovations to the plaza. Maybe the surface the cube rests on/near at the bottom edge is being re-done or something?



    I?d be surprised if the same glass didn?t return to use even if some elements are improved.
  • Reply 7 of 41
    vachivachi Posts: 12member
    there is nothing wrong with the old cube, i was there yesterday and the construction preparation is impressive

    they first used a metal structure to surround the cube then painted white plywood,

    there is a bit of space lost at the entrance, but over all its not hindering foot flow

    another aspect is the lights used in the makeshift cube, they mimic a sin light. when you are on the stairs its hard to tell than there is no real sun light, hence why i think its pretty impressive



    the old cube was hard to clean and new york is not a clean air city, the store is on 5th ave that means 24/7 365 of taxi/car exhaust, i imagine the redesign will attempt to answer this problem
  • Reply 8 of 41
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    They can take this opportunity to fumigate for bedbugs.
  • Reply 9 of 41
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by vachi View Post


    there is nothing wrong with the old cube, i was there yesterday and the construction preparation is impressive

    they first used a metal structure to surround the cube then painted white plywood,

    there is a bit of space lost at the entrance, but over all its not hindering foot flow

    another aspect is the lights used in the makeshift cube, they mimic a sin light. when you are on the stairs its hard to tell than there is no real sun light, hence why i think its pretty impressive



    the old cube was hard to clean and new york is not a clean air city, the store is on 5th ave that means 24/7 365 of taxi/car exhaust, i imagine the redesign will attempt to answer this problem



    The new design will have a team of ten homeless guys with newspapers and squeegees constantly cleaning the exterior of the store.
  • Reply 10 of 41
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpamSandwich View Post


    The new design will have a team of ten homeless guys with newspapers and squeegees constantly cleaning the exterior of the store.



    AKA the bum app
  • Reply 11 of 41
    michael scripmichael scrip Posts: 1,916member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rtm135 View Post




    Can someone who lives in NY enlighten me: What was wrong with the old cube? Was it falling apart?



    The old cube is fine... the glass panels have nothing wrong with them.



    But there are problems with the earth surrounding the cube... drainage issues and such.



    They removed the glass panels so they wouldn't get damaged in the construction. I think they're gonna dig up the ground and pour new concrete, etc.



    But the glass panels should return...
  • Reply 12 of 41
    thinkknotthinkknot Posts: 51member
    Looks like the Chernobyl sarcophagus
  • Reply 13 of 41
    resnycresnyc Posts: 90member
    Thanks for the pathetic photos.
  • Reply 14 of 41
    I"m guessing they are going "round".



    Then Steve will get a round office and tell visitors to wait in the corner until he finishes a phone call.



    ===============================

    The company's Pudong store in Shanghai, China uses an elaborate glass cylinder, something it might want to emulate in New York City. Round glass is in fact an emerging theme with Apple buildings, as the company's new headquarters will be a giant ring, with curved windows wrapping all the way around.
  • Reply 15 of 41
    It is a tesseract (hypercube, n-cube). Apple is going in to the 4th dimension with the new renovations.
  • Reply 16 of 41
    vachivachi Posts: 12member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Michael Scrip View Post


    The old cube is fine... the glass panels have nothing wrong with them.



    But there are problems with the earth surrounding the cube... drainage issues and such.



    They removed the glass panels so they wouldn't get damaged in the construction. I think they're gonna dig up the ground and pour new concrete, etc.



    But the glass panels should return...



    good info, cheers
  • Reply 17 of 41
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by lightstriker View Post


    It is a tesseract (hypercube, n-cube). Apple is going in to the 4th dimension with the new renovations.



    Apple's replacing it with a Menger Sponge.



    There's no way to get inside (because there isn't an inside) and the required window-washing has saved the economy because it has created infinity new jobs.
  • Reply 18 of 41
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,310moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by resnyc View Post


    Thanks for the pathetic photos.



    I don't suppose there's all that much to photograph when it comes to covered up construction work.



    Even under the tarp, it's likely just going to be the same glass cube that was there before.
  • Reply 19 of 41
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    My prediction - they are removing the cube and replace it with a cylinder structure like they did in the Shanghai store. Makes sense. Their future headquarters is circular, Mr. Jobs seems to like curves and anti-angles, Shanghai is a jewel of design. Would not surprise me that's what they're going to do.
  • Reply 20 of 41
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sflocal View Post


    My prediction - they are removing the cube and replace it with a cylinder structure like they did in the Shanghai store. Makes sense. Their future headquarters is circular, Mr. Jobs seems to like curves and anti-angles, Shanghai is a jewel of design. Would not surprise me that's what they're going to do.



    I figure cube again. Have a different shape for every continent.



    North America: Cube

    Asia: Cylinder

    Europe: Tetrahedron

    South America: Octahedron

    Africa: Dodecahedron

    Australia: Icosahedron

    Antarctica: Penguin
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