First Apple Store Designed Under Jony Ive Has Trees (!)

An Apple store with trees? That seems unthinkable for the tech giant's famously minimalist retail locations, yet it is the reality for the company's new outpost in Brussels, Belgium, the first designed under newly-minted Chief Design Officer Jony Ive. As The Verge explains, Ive's promotion meant he would be "taking a step back from Apple's day-to-day operations" so he could oversee "things like the look and feel of Apple's retail stores." Talk of a new retail aesthetic has been swirling since around the Apple Watch release this past spring, particularly the thought that Apple Store 2.0 needs to be quieter, more luxurious, and appeal to more than just "Apple Dudes." That's beginning to happen with this new store.

While still glassy and super streamlined, the interior emphasizes more natural finishes. This means clay-brick walls, wooden benches, wooden drawers and display mounts, and one large screen instead of many back-lit photo displays. And yes, eight real, breathing, (shedding ?!) potted trees.

· Jony Ive unveils his first apple store interiors in brussels [Designboom]
· Take a Global Tour of the 50 Most Eye-Catching Apple Stores [Curbed]
· Jony Ive Wants to Sell Apple Watches in Special V.I.P Areas [Curbed]