Foster + Partners has collaborated with the Apple design team to transform a neoclassical building in the US capital into a sleek retail space with a skylit atrium, where events are held to "entertain and inspire the local people".
Apple Carnegie Library is located in a Beaux-Arts-style building in Washington DC
The store, called Apple Carnegie Library, is located in Mount Vernon Square, about seven blocks north of The Mall. Built in 1903 and designed by Ackerman & Ross, the Beaux-Arts-style building was Washington DC's first public library and its first desegregated public building.
The building has served various purposes since the library moved out in the 1970s. For the past 15 years, it has been underutilised and neglected, despite being a designated historic landmark. In 2016, Apple announced its plan to renovate the structure and open a store there. Foster + Partners has converted the interior into a retail space for Apple
British firm Foster + Partners worked in collaboration with Apple's design team ? led by Jonathan Ive ? to convert the interior into a modern retail space, while also returning the building to its original grandeur.
White walls and marble floors create a light and airy atmosphere
"I love the synergy between old and new, the juxtaposition of the historic fabric and contemporary design," said Ive in a project description. "It is the layers of history which create the rich tapestry of urban life."
Wooden decor and ficu...