Norman Foster's Apple Store in Melbourne Axed

John Hill

8. April 2019

Aerial rendering of Foster + Partners' revised design for the Apple Store Melbourne flagship at Federation Square (Image: Apple)

Heritage Victoria has blocked the construction of Apple's flagship store at Melbourne, Australia's Federation Square due to its adverse effect on the nearly 20-year-old square.

Unveiled in early 2017, Foster + Partners' design for the Apple flagship in Melbourne was met with swift opposition arising from the proposed demolition of the Yarra building at Federation Square, the project built in 2002 per a design by Lab Architecture Studio and Bates Smart. The store would have inserted retail space into a project devoted to public institutions and displaced the Yarra building's occupant, Koorie Heritage Trust.

Aerial rendering of Foster + Partners' initial design for the Apple Store Melbourne flagship at Federation Square

Last week Heritage Victoria said the project would cause "an unacceptable and irreversible detrimental impact on the cultural heritage significance of Federation Square." This decision followed two designs by Foster + Partners, the second of which responded to the public's concerns. Apple, which has five stores in Melbourne, said through a spokesperson that it will no longer pursue the plans, therefore not appealing the decision and preserving the character of Federation Square.