Apple Downtown Brooklyn lies at the cultural epicenter of the rapidly changing area of the city. This second Brooklyn location is adjacent to the Barclays Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and the new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
A dramatic sloping timber canopy – rising to over 30 feet above street level – marks the store’s entrance, shading an open public plaza at the apex of Flatbush Avenue and Ashland Place. The canopy’s timber ceiling continues inside the store, interrupted only by an imperceptibly thin glass facade.
Engaging with Brooklyn’s vibrant urban community, the glass continues from the apex and wraps itself around the building, creating a direct and extended connection between store and street. Excited to be a part of the Brooklyn Cultural District, the team designed the plaza’s surfaces to unify the surrounding landscape; the store offers a distinctive and engaging new presence within the thriving neighborhood.
The transparency of the facade floods the interior with natural light. A grove of trees in the store’s center filters the sun through greenery, creating an animated place for people to explore Apple, get inspired and find support from staff.
The Forum – a community theater-like space with a large video screen – forms the focal point at the store’s wider rear wall. Designed as the focus of the store and the social heart of the district, Apple’s Forum encourages people to gather together in the spirit of creativity and learning. The Forum will be the stage for the “Today at Apple” program, including workshops, presentations and other events led by Apple.