Apple today announced its latest retail location, Apple Champs-Élysées, paying tribute to Paris’s rich history and creativity. Housed in a Haussmann-era apartment building, the inner courtyard has been transformed into Apple’s grandest Forum, dedicated to free Today at Apple sessions.
Apple offers more than 18,000 Today at Apple sessions around the world every week, focused on creative passions like photography, music, coding and design. In the first week, Apple Champs-Élysées will host sessions with popular musicians, filmmakers, animators and more.
“The energy in Paris is electric and it will be one of our premier cities for Today at Apple,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail, in a statement. “I hope that everyone who visits Apple Champs-Élysées will be inspired to unlock their creative curiosity and learn something new.”
A careful blend of historic and modern architecture, the store design honors the building’s past while introducing modern spaces. The facade and entryway have been meticulously restored and the Burgundy stone of the exterior has been carried throughout the building. French oak parquet floors line the upper levels, which aim to revive the building’s original spirit by restoring the detailing and interconnected spaces of the quintessential Parisian apartment.
“Working within a historic Parisian building is a great responsibility and a phenomenal opportunity,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer, in a statement. “Our first priority was to honor the history of the building, while thoughtfully updating it to create spaces both grand and intimate. The carefully interweaving layers are warm and light filled, celebrating the timeless spirit of the city.”
Several of the design features also serve an environmental purpose. A sculptural roof light covers the courtyard, providing sunlight to the space below and generating renewable energy with integrated photovoltaic panels. An integrated rainwater collection system provides water for the bathrooms, trees and green walls. Like all of Apple’s facilities, Apple Champs-Élysées is powered by 100 percent renewable energy.
More than 330 employees, including over 100 new hires, will welcome customers when the store opens Sunday. The group represents 15 nationalities and speaks 17 languages, with more than 200 employees joining from other Apple stores in Paris and around the world. Apple Champs-Élysées opens Sunday at 12 p.m.
Source: Apple Inc.
MacDailyNews Take: Congrats, Paris!
“Hey, let’s spend out the wazoo for a screen whose sole raison d’être is ‘Look at how big I am!’ and then slap it into a space in such a way that it looks like a 40-inch Sanyo.”
“Hey, let’s move the power button on iPhones from the top where it worked perfectly to directly across from the volume buttons where it can be mistakenly pressed with constant irritation at all times.”
“Hey,let’s design a Mac Pro that can never be upgraded, even by us, and see if we can sell it for six years as ‘top of the line!””
“Hey, let’s not bother designing that Apple TV Siri Remote. Let that blind guy who polishes the floors at night do it instead.”
I agree! Apple is shit. What products do you think we should go and buy instead?
He makes good points, but I still like Apple products better than the shit competition and am willing to pay more for them. I frequent high-end fashion outlets like Apple because I can afford it, not because I am rich. Look at Louis Vuitton, for example. Like Apple, their designs are pricey, but their durability and longevity with respect to style are unmatched. The total cost of ownership of products from either company place them in an unearthly realm of value. This critic’s mileage may certainly vary from mine, but what counts is where we’ve travelled, and I sense he’s gone nowhere.
How many years have we been reminding them about TCO?
Hmmm… a trip to Paris to check out this amazing store, or some of Apple’s extra storage in a new Mac mini? Choices, choices…
Eurostar is doing a £29 Deal one way, i need to go to Paris for something else also. Might make a long weekend trip to Paris and visit this new Apple Store at the same time
Apparently this store will be open this Sunday even if it rains. Truly magnificent.