A subset of these lights - 9 on each side of the cube - rise out of the ground as clear skylights called “sky lenses” that peer down into the store. At night, they illuminate the plaza with an ambient glow. During the day, the lamps add texture to what would otherwise be empty paving and allow light to flood in underground. Apple worked closely with Foster + Partners to create a top store for New York City, and the first thing you’ll notice about the reimagined space is a more inviting plaza.Ħ2 circular lights dot the new plaza in a grid surrounding the cube. The site was literally a hole in the ground two years ago, as crews completely demolished the old space and started over. Make no mistake, Apple Fifth Avenue is a totally new store. The entrance still features 15 glass panes (down from 90 before 2011) and a hanging illuminated Apple logo. So when Apple peeled away the temporary iridescent wrappings that announced the store’s return earlier this month, it revealed a cube that looked remarkably familiar. Altering its appearance significantly would be almost akin to rewriting history.

Though dwarfed by the skyscrapers surrounding it, the glass cube has been a modern monument in New York City for the past 13 years. It takes great restraint and judgement to tastefully update a store like Apple Fifth Avenue. Ahead of the famous store’s reopening, timed to coincide with the release of the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and Apple Watch Series 5, Apple gave us a sneak peek inside. Apple Fifth Avenue and its 32-foot glass cube entrance have returned to New York City. How do you improve on an icon? That’s the challenge Apple tackled to complete its most extensive store renovation to date.

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