The rumors surrounding the new Apple Store for Michigan Avenue can be put to rest as the Chicago Tribune has uncovered the plans for the store, along with several conceptual renderings. According to the Tribune, the Cupertino-based tech giant has teamed up yet again with architect Norman Foster of Foster + Partners for the new project on Michigan Avenue. The London-based architect most recently worked with Apple on their new spacey-looking headquarters that is currently under construction in Cupertino, California. And while there was some speculation that the new Michigan Avenue store would look similar to the glass box stores that Apple has built in New York, Turkey and China, the new store for Chicago's downtown will be distinctly midwestern. The renderings that the Tribune gathered from the Zeller Realty Group's proposal reveal a structure that is contemporary, but also reminiscent of the low-slung rooflines and wide gables that Frank Lloyd Wright designed. In an interesting, but very welcomed twist, the new store design borrows heavily from the Prairie School that helped put Chicago on the map.
The store itself will weigh in at 20,000 square feet and take over the underground foodcourt of 401 N. Michigan Ave., the office tower that will become the backdrop to the new store. And in addition to the eye-catching Prairie-esque structure that will take over Pioneer Court, the new store will offer wide view of the Chicago River and include an outdoor staircase that will lead to the riverwalk. And while the plan itself is exciting and may help activate this stretch of Michigan Avenue (along with several other under-construction projects), some area residents have expressed concern about Pioneer Court turning into a big Apple logo. Head over to the Tribune for more renderings and details on the plan.
·Exclusive look at new Apple store on the Chicago River [Chicago Tribune]
·The Apple Store is Indeed Moving Down Michigan Avenue [Curbed Chicago]
·Previous Millennium Mile coverage [Curbed Chicago]
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