Apple teases opening of Chicago's Michigan Avenue store, prepares 'Chicago Series' events

Apple on Thursday went on a publicity blitz for its Michigan Avenue store in Chicago, which opens tomorrow at 5 p.m. Central time, showcasing new interior and exterior photos as well as plans for a "Chicago Series" of Today at Apple events.

The store's design is intended to "minimize the boundary between the city and the Chicago River," Apple said, and accordingly there are two granite staircases on both sides of the shop. The store itself uses glass facades and just four interior pillars to ensure shoppers can see the river.

The roof, public knowledge since earlier this year, is built with carbon fiber in order to be as light as possible, presumably in order to allow its minimalist support structures.

The interior sports many of the design traits of recent flagship Apple stores, including trees, wooden shelving tailored after fashion shops, and a large events area with seating.

The Chicago Series begins on Monday and will consist of five programs over the next four weeks, crafted with the help of local non-profit and creative organizations. These include "Accelerate Your Startup Idea with 1871," "Create Collaborative Art," "Prototype a Civic App with BLUE 1647," "Photograph Chicago with VSCO," and finally "Cultivate Your Voice with Young Chicago Authors," which despite its name will focus on music and graffiti as well as poetry.

Three of the events — "Accelerate Your Startup Idea," "Prototype a Civic App," and "Photograph Chicago" — will have a competitive aspect. A selected startup finalist will get support from both Apple and 1871, while the top civic app developer will get mentorship from Apple and BLUE 1647. The top output from "Photograph Chicago" will be featured in a later Today at Apple program, as well as in VSCO's social media.

5 Comments

jmgregory1 474 comments · 15 Years

About 7 years ago

The glass walls look very cool and will no doubt be just that come February with the wind blowing off the lake and down the frozen river. This might be considered an environmentally friendly design with all the glass and wood, but it's going to take huge amounts of energy to keep it warm in the winter. I wonder if they made it with an in-floor radiant heating system, which would certainly help control heating and heat loss.

patchythepirate 1254 comments · 12 Years

This building is amazing. Beyond words. I was very very close to cancelling my clinic tomorrow so I could fly out for the opening. Hmm, maybe time to take a sick day..

LukeCage 166 comments · 8 Years

jmgregory1 said:

The glass walls look very cool and will no doubt be just that come February with the wind blowing off the lake and down the frozen river. This might be considered an environmentally friendly design with all the glass and wood, but it's going to take huge amounts of energy to keep it warm in the winter. I wonder if they made it with an in-floor radiant heating system, which would certainly help control heating and heat loss.

Yea I’m wondering how this store will hold up to Chicago winters also. I’m pretty sure this was discussed thoroughly by the architects and meets or exceeds Chicago building codes. The firm that designs and builds apples buildings more often than not, blow my mind. It just doesn’t seem possible how this will work.

M00 1 comment · 7 Years

LukeCage said:

jmgregory1 said:

The glass walls look very cool and will no doubt be just that come February with the wind blowing off the lake and down the frozen river. This might be considered an environmentally friendly design with all the glass and wood, but it's going to take huge amounts of energy to keep it warm in the winter. I wonder if they made it with an in-floor radiant heating system, which would certainly help control heating and heat loss.

Yea I’m wondering how this store will hold up to Chicago winters also. I’m pretty sure this was discussed thoroughly by the architects and meets or exceeds Chicago building codes. The firm that designs and builds apples buildings more often than not, blow my mind. It just doesn’t seem possible how this will work.

I saw a home in Chicago with a similar design. All glass walls going up 20 feet. The architects used heated glass. Works pretty well for Chicago winters.