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Apple Updating 5th Avenue Cube with New Glass Technology

By Rain Noe - August 9, 2011

in Materials | Tech

The old Cube

The old Cube

As designers, we like watching Apple because of their willingness to push materials to their limits. This kind of thinking and experimentation yielded the unibody MacBook Pros and the ultra-slick iPhone 4s and iPad 2s. And their materials-pushing isn't constrained to their product line: In an earlier post on Apple's forthcoming new HQ in Cupertino, we reported that Apple had learned how to "do" the large, curved pieces of glass needed to build that structure.

Looks like large, curved glass isn't all they've learned to do: We've just discovered Apple will be updating their iconic Cube structure at their midtown Manhattan retail location, replacing the current cube of 90 panes with just 15 massive, and I mean massive, pieces of glass (rendering at bottom). The slabs will be roughly 10 feet wide by a whopping 32 feet high, and held together using some sort of secret, proprietary connector that will reportedly be embedded within the glass itself, rather than being comprised of mere external clips.

There's no hard business reason to replace the Cube. It wasn't falling down, tourists weren't looking at it dismissively, and it won't lead to an immediate increase in profits. Apple is replacing it for no reason other than that they found they could push the boundaries of glass and have chosen to manifest that innovation. That's what we love, and soon—date TBD—that's what Cube-goers will get to see.

Rendering of the new Cube

Rendering of the new Cube

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Scott G

12 years ago

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Apple is utilizing panels people used to think impossible to make, that's the point. When they first began building the glass staircases the glass fabricator had to build new equipment to accomodate Apple's designs. It's everything Apple stands for they are innovators, not just in their own industry they've pushed glass manufacturer's, fabricators, and glaziers (installers) to come up with solutions to things people once thought impossible.
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Jim H

13 years ago

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I don't know enough about Industrial glass to know how advanced this is, but I'd guess that Apple's constant redesigns are also to advance their production capabilities, and the industry in general as well. And "marketing"? Well, gee, it's a marketplace. Don't we all love marketplaces? This is an advertisement for Apple: constant design emphasis. Constant change by design. I'm still trying to understand the accusation that reengineering glass is "reckless." What? Glass is sand and stuff, crystallized and treated a million different ways. I'm not seeing this horrific recklessness in this aesthetic product.
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Jim H

13 years ago

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I don't know enough about Industrial glass to know how advanced this is, but I'd guess that Apple's constant redesigns are also to advance their production capabilities, and the industry in general as well. And "marketing"? Well, gee, it's a marketplace. Don't we all love marketplaces? This is an advertisement for Apple: constant design emphasis. Constant change by design. I'm still trying to understand the accusation that reengineering glass is "reckless." What? Glass is sand and stuff, crystallized and treated a million different ways. I'm not seeing this horrific recklessness in this aesthetic product.
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Glen

13 years ago

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Does anyone know how they waterproof this structure. Is it a rubber seal and apple silastic? Anyone been right up close to see the joins. I asking as a draftsman in the building industry. Thankyou.
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Indian T.v Serials

13 years ago

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I wonder what was the catalyst to make this change. It's already quite iconic and I'm sure the cost is high for the change.
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Webdesign

13 years ago

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It looks a little bit boring to me.
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Jomy

13 years ago

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This is a great example of Apple's brilliant marketing. The old cube was one of the most photographed landmarks in NYC. The story of how Apple tore down a perfectly good glass cube to make a better, simpler one will be told millions of times. This reinforces Apple's brand image of providing superior products and not settling for good enough. The new cube will inspire and stand as a monument to the passion that has made Apple what it is.
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Androo

13 years ago

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...it's new, but doesn't look as interesting. Are all refreshes good ones?
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akw

13 years ago

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i like that apple is always updating and pushing limits with new technology...BUT, i like the 90 panels so much better aesthetically. the way the light hits the seams is so beautiful. the new one lacks dimension and just looks lackluster.
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gork platter

13 years ago

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It's hardly a pointless exercise. Why do people keep buying new iPads and new iPods that are incrementally cleaner in appearance and form?

After all, even people in the retail industry know that boutique stores require a periodic refresh.
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Barkley

13 years ago

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"Sent from my iPad." Lol, it's been 10 years since the original design. I can't fault a technology company for wanting to keep its image updated.

Also, apparently they found a buyer for all 90 of the old panels by a company in china that goes by the name "Apple Stoer".
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Ryan

13 years ago

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Isn't it obvious? This isn't a pointless "upgrade", my guess is they're testing out the glass in a real situation prior to using it in their new HQ.
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Charles

13 years ago

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No Apple, you are using 105 panels, because you already used 90. This is absurd, on par with George Lucas remastering the original trilogy because when he initially made it the technology wasn't there. Innovation would be if they made the cube out of all the glass from their products that are designed to be obsolete in 2 years. Apple is a great example of American design, it's beautiful, well marketed, and reckless.

Sent from my iPad.
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