A new Apple Store in downtown Chicago is currently under construction. Nothing weird about that, right?
Well, today it was reported that the builders have added a new design element to the structure and now the roof is a giant MacBook.
Could this be the tech giant's attempt at marketing its products to birds and other flying animals - one of the only demographics Apple has so far failed to corner? Perhaps the next stop will be opening a store in the Mariana Trench, in an attempt to flog iPhones to creatures of the deep, thus securing total world domination.
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Either that or it could be so people in planes and high-rises will see it, or just a PR/marketing stunt...whatever.
It wasn't clear exactly what the roof was supposed to be until construction workers rolled out a giant Apple logo right in the middle of it, before quickly rolling it back up and taking it away.
The new Chicago branch, designed by London-based Foster+Partners, is a relocation of Apple's original Chicago flagship.
It's a 20,000-square-foot space which, once construction is complete, will have all-glass walls and a thin, carbon fibre MacBook roof.
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"Our store on North Michigan Avenue has welcomed more than 23 million customers since it opened in 2003 and we're now creating something even more remarkable for Chicago," Nick Leahy, an Apple spokesman, told DNAinfo in 2015.
"The roof is made from a lightweight material used in yacht hulls to keep it thin," writes the Chicago Tribune. "[It is] four feet thick at its widest point and four inches at its narrowest, with an Apple logo on top."
Upon completion, the store will include many of the snazzy new elements that were introduced at a San Francisco store last year. These include an outdoor plaza and a video wall with gathering space, referred to as 'The Forum'.
These are far from the coolest Apple Stores around, though. There are locations dotted around the globe that blow Chicago and San Fran out of the proverbial water. Here are a few of the best.
New York City, 5th Avenue
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Credit: MD111/creative commons
Apple's flagship New York location was always going to have to be something special and the tech giant certainly didn't disappoint. The store is actually underground, accessible by a spiral staircase, which is housed inside of a giant glass cube. It's actually now one of the most photographed spots in the city.
Paris, Opera
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Credit: doc18/creative commons
Forgoing the standard whitewash and glass combo that is commonplace in most Apple Stores, the Paris Opera branch retains much of the stunning building's original look, including huge stone pillars and black cast-iron balcony railings.
Boston
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Credit: Alejandro Castro/Creative commons
The Apple store in Boston stands directly in between two classic American-style buildings but its store front is made entirely of glass, allowing passers-by to see all of the three floors. It's kind of like a cross section of the shop.
Words: Paddy Maddison
Featured Image Credit: DNAinfo/Twitter
