"Council members unanimously backed Greens party councilor Rohan Leppert
in a motion to lobby the government for a redesign that would include
public input."
I shudder to think what kind of design would emerge after "public input".
I work around 500 meters away from the site, and was actually there today.
... this placement and design is a bad decision by a company that doesn’t understand the culture here and that this is really a slap in the face to Victorians.
Considering ‘...lead architects for both Federation Square and the Victorian government were involved in project planning and endorsed the proposed design prior to its announcement...’, I’m not sure why you’re focussing your criticism at Apple.
I don’t know the area at all, but I can see that people are complaining about an architectural design in a place that isn’t known for quality architectural design and being immature by referring to it as a ‘pizza hut’ design simply to associate the design with something cheap (when obviously the design is not cheap whether one likes it or not). So it very much comes across as a bunch of people who are nothing more than resistant to change.
I hope that if there is enough public voice to stop the building of the Apple store that there is legitimate reason behind it beyond people not wanting change. Not that I care one way or another whether Apple builds a store there, just from afar it sounds like a bunch of whiners.
I can remember all the screaming when the Sydney Opera House design was released. Same in Paris when the Glass Pyramid was announced.
If public opinion was ruling approval of the plans that design would never have been built, Apple pushes the envelope in their designs and sometimes it takes time to get used to it.
I would agree that the design doesn't look particularly impressive in that rendering. The existing building next to it is worse, but Apple should probably go with a resubmission on this one.
I can remember all the screaming when the Sydney Opera House design was released. Same in Paris when the Glass Pyramid was announced.
If public opinion was ruling approval of the plans that design would never have been built, Apple pushes the envelope in their designs and sometimes it takes time to get used to it.
Exactly. Look at Barcelona ... every turn of a corner brings a take your breath away design ranging from Gaudi to ultra modern. Love that city's attitude towards design.
"It reminds me of a Pizza Hut pagoda and I just think it's like something that's rolled off an Apple Store production line," Reece said.
Whether the motion will be successful remains to be seen, as lead architects for both Federation Square and the Victorian government were involved in project planning and endorsed the proposed design prior to its announcement.
Well... It wasn't an Apple Store, but Apple occupied a building on De Anza near Stevens Creek that was called Taco Towers. It was beige stucco with black iron railings on the second floor walkway. The railings included the Apple Logo.
Exactly. Look at Barcelona ... every turn of a corner brings a take your breath away design ranging from Gaudi to ultra modern. Love that city's attitude towards design.
You have to admit that the black Soviet Era spy headquarters looking building in the background is far far more attractive than the structure that Apple is proposing. It also has a lovely flat black motif with dark windows and thick walls to keep the general public from seeing or hearing what's going on inside its chambers of forced oppression. We wouldn't want to offend the delicate Australians with the horrible and impossible to-stomach artfulness, whimsy, openness, and airy architecture that reeks all around that Apple building. Bring on more gothic depression, and bring it on now, before the sunshine is allowed to spoil the moment. /s
Making me walk past a bunch of stores that I have no interest in, to get where I need to go, is a waste of my time.
They probably also have parallel parking... shudder.
My man, you need to look up the term "mall". You're confusing the term's true meaning with the indoor American monstrosities with food courts and mall rats. Think more of the National Mall in DC.
Australian banter is quite well renowned. As for the building design itself, what function is served by the pagoda wings? Why couldn’t the same function be done with traditional Australian architecture?
My first guess would be so the people inside the building won’t be blinded by the sun.
Honestly, some protection from the summer sun might be helpful, but the design is completely out of touch with the area. Granted, even when Federation Square was built, it was an odd architecture. This however doesn’t event suit that. I’m not sure what Angela Ahrendts was smoking when she said it was in keeping with the area...
To be honest, an Apple Store in the city centre is long overdue. But the public sentiment is very strong against this. This is a civic space and Apple is seen by the majority here as the antithesis of that. I can’t see a Union Square “Town Centre” store working here. There are plenty of better places for this store. Burke Street comes to mind...
This isn’t to say that I dislike the idea of an Apple Store. Would help me out a lot. But this placement and design is a bad decision by a company that doesn’t understand the culture here and that this is really a slap in the face to Victorians.
Apple really has been quite tone deaf on this one and misread how the local community feels about Federation Square.
With luck it will get shut down, during due process and they will need to look at other locations.
Help me out on this. I've not been to the location personally, and have only seen photos. To my eyes, rectangular black glass buildings are as ugly and soulless as buildings come. The building behind the proposed Apple Store, with the huge satellite dishes...that's the aesthetic Australians are determined to protect?
Given that the design was created in conjunction with architects for both Federation Square and the Victorian government, and endorsed by them in project planning, I'm not sure what the real issue is here. Is it more than people just don't like Apple and don't want them there period, regardless of any design?
I'd like to see some better renderings of the proposed design. What has been presented so far is not up to normal Apple Store standards in my opinion. It is rather uninspiring and not particularly current looking. Not that changing the design will make much difference to the opposition, but surely something better than this can be offered. Australia has lot of great architecture happening right now, so there's no excuse for creating such a lackluster design.
Australian banter is quite well renowned. As for the building design itself, what function is served by the pagoda wings? Why couldn’t the same function be done with traditional Australian architecture?
My first guess would be so the people inside the building won’t be blinded by the sun.
Honestly, some protection from the summer sun might be helpful, but the design is completely out of touch with the area. Granted, even when Federation Square was built, it was an odd architecture. This however doesn’t event suit that. I’m not sure what Angela Ahrendts was smoking when she said it was in keeping with the area...
To be honest, an Apple Store in the city centre is long overdue. But the public sentiment is very strong against this. This is a civic space and Apple is seen by the majority here as the antithesis of that. I can’t see a Union Square “Town Centre” store working here. There are plenty of better places for this store. Burke Street comes to mind...
This isn’t to say that I dislike the idea of an Apple Store. Would help me out a lot. But this placement and design is a bad decision by a company that doesn’t understand the culture here and that this is really a slap in the face to Victorians.
Apple really has been quite tone deaf on this one and misread how the local community feels about Federation Square.
With luck it will get shut down, during due process and they will need to look at other locations.
Help me out on this. I've not been to the location personally, and have only seen photos. To my eyes, rectangular black glass buildings are as ugly and soulless as buildings come. The building behind the proposed Apple Store, with the huge satellite dishes...that's the aesthetic Australians are determined to protect?
Given that the design was created in conjunction with architects for both Federation Square and the Victorian government, and endorsed by them in project planning, I'm not sure what the real issue is here. Is it more than people just don't like Apple and don't want them there period, regardless of any design?
Australian banter is quite well renowned. As for the building design itself, what function is served by the pagoda wings? Why couldn’t the same function be done with traditional Australian architecture?
My first guess would be so the people inside the building won’t be blinded by the sun.
Honestly, some protection from the summer sun might be helpful, but the design is completely out of touch with the area. Granted, even when Federation Square was built, it was an odd architecture. This however doesn’t event suit that. I’m not sure what Angela Ahrendts was smoking when she said it was in keeping with the area...
To be honest, an Apple Store in the city centre is long overdue. But the public sentiment is very strong against this. This is a civic space and Apple is seen by the majority here as the antithesis of that. I can’t see a Union Square “Town Centre” store working here. There are plenty of better places for this store. Burke Street comes to mind...
This isn’t to say that I dislike the idea of an Apple Store. Would help me out a lot. But this placement and design is a bad decision by a company that doesn’t understand the culture here and that this is really a slap in the face to Victorians.
Apple really has been quite tone deaf on this one and misread how the local community feels about Federation Square.
With luck it will get shut down, during due process and they will need to look at other locations.
Help me out on this. I've not been to the location personally, and have only seen photos. To my eyes, rectangular black glass buildings are as ugly and soulless as buildings come. The building behind the proposed Apple Store, with the huge satellite dishes...that's the aesthetic Australians are determined to protect?
Given that the design was created in conjunction with architects for both Federation Square and the Victorian government, and endorsed by them in project planning, I'm not sure what the real issue is here. Is it more than people just don't like Apple and don't want them there period, regardless of any design?
Were the original architects involved? I read that they supported the idea but the square was designed literally 20 years ago and what was envisaged then may not have any bearing on reality now.
The objection is that someone is putting a SHOP in an arts precinct. Doesn’t matter if was apple or JB Hifi or BOSE.
google images for fed square. I won’t comment on the quality of the architecture but rectangular black buildings is not an adequate description.
I work around 500 meters away from the site, and was actually there today.
Honestly, some protection from the summer sun might be helpful, but the design is completely out of touch with the area. Granted, even when Federation Square was built, it was an odd architecture. This however doesn’t event suit that. I’m not sure what Angela Ahrendts was smoking when she said it was in keeping with the area...
To be honest, an Apple Store in the city centre is long overdue. But the public sentiment is very strong against this. This is a civic space and Apple is seen by the majority here as the antithesis of that. I can’t see a Union Square “Town Centre” store working here. There are plenty of better places for this store. Burke Street comes to mind...
This isn’t to say that I dislike the idea of an Apple Store. Would help me out a lot. But this placement and design is a bad decision by a company that doesn’t understand the culture here and that this is really a slap in the face to Victorians.
So the store design in itself isn’t the problem. The problem is that Apple is building a store at all.
It certainly isn’t my favourite Apple store design, but where you think protection from the sun might be “helpful”, I think it should be a major design concern.
There are 2 issues at play here. 1. It’s a completely inappropriate place to put a retail store. I’d compare it to Apple setting up a megastore in the centre of Central Park, New York. It’s a public setting Apple is appropriating for their corporate use. 2. If you have to put it there, at least make it fit in, which it doesn’t.
I’m sure they can find ways to deal with the heat that doesn’t look like an inverted Pizza Hut... like everyone else in Australia seems more than capabale or doing...
How does it not fit in, Google street view tells me it's not exactly some an era of high art, or even low art.
It looks like a pavilion in a park with maybe Asian influence, I'm betting the underhang will become pretty popular spaces to be in the blazing sun. and the terrace above will also be very popular as a meeting place.
Bet, they'll all turn around once it is built.
... blazing sun?? Have you ever been to Melbourne hahaha.
Think less “Crocodile Dundee” and more “London” when it comes to Melbourne’s weather.
Comments
I shudder to think what kind of design would emerge after "public input".
I don’t know the area at all, but I can see that people are complaining about an architectural design in a place that isn’t known for quality architectural design and being immature by referring to it as a ‘pizza hut’ design simply to associate the design with something cheap (when obviously the design is not cheap whether one likes it or not). So it very much comes across as a bunch of people who are nothing more than resistant to change.
I hope that if there is enough public voice to stop the building of the Apple store that there is legitimate reason behind it beyond people not wanting change. Not that I care one way or another whether Apple builds a store there, just from afar it sounds like a bunch of whiners.
It's aggressive. The corners are too sharp. Since when does Apple not round its corners?
Start over, or abandon the project. Where the hell is Jony Ive on this?
If public opinion was ruling approval of the plans that design would never have been built, Apple pushes the envelope in their designs and sometimes it takes time to get used to it.
Given that the design was created in conjunction with architects for both Federation Square and the Victorian government, and endorsed by them in project planning, I'm not sure what the real issue is here. Is it more than people just don't like Apple and don't want them there period, regardless of any design?
Were the original architects involved? I read that they supported the idea but the square was designed literally 20 years ago and what was envisaged then may not have any bearing on reality now.
The objection is that someone is putting a SHOP in an arts precinct. Doesn’t matter if was apple or JB Hifi or BOSE.
google images for fed square. I won’t comment on the quality of the architecture but rectangular black buildings is not an adequate description.
Think less “Crocodile Dundee” and more “London” when it comes to Melbourne’s weather.