Apple opened its newest location in Shanghai on Saturday, July 10th. Inspired by the glass cube of the Fifth Avenue store in New York, Apple uses some of the largest pieces of glass in the world to construct its first cylindrical store.The surrounding plaza echoes the shape of the store. The glass cylinder represents a pebble dropped into a pond, and the concentric circles stand for ripples of water and the energy that radiates throughout China.

A spiral staircase in the cylinder winds its way down to the retail shop below the surface. Roy Zipstein captures the signature clean lines of the Apple store in his photos, continuing his collaboration with Apple. He was present at the opening to document the interior and exterior of the store, as well as the natural pandemonium that accompanies the anticipation of every new Apple store.

Apple employees are greeted enthusiastically on opening day

The Shanghai Apple store is located in the Pudong financial district, situated among other landmark buildings such as the Oriental Pearl Tower (as seen in the background) and the Shanghai World Financial Center (the tallest building in China). It is the second Apple store in China, the first opened in 2008 prior to the Beijing Olympics. New Apple stores in China are to follow.

Zipstein has also photographed Apple stores in Beijing, Tokyo, Sydney, New York, London, Munich, Zurich, Montreal, and more.

Onlookers gaze down at the glass cylinder

The spiral staircase leading to the lower level resembles the Fifth Avenue New York location

Silver columns support the expansive underground store

The lengthy genius bar (back) awaits to serve people with technical issues and questions

The circular plaza embraces Apple’s glass cylinder

The Apple store lights up at night with the Oriental Pearl Tower in the distance

Links:
Apple Shanghai
Roy Zipstein

SPREAD|Artculture magazine brings you the latest in art, culture, design, and more in its 5th annual issue. M.I.A. graces the cover in conjunction with the release of her third album /\/\/\Y/\. Tracey Emin discusses her polarizing personality, uterus, and life during menopause. Visit Anish Kapoor’s studio and learn about Temenos, Kapoor’s sculpture in Middlesbrough, England. Get an eye-opening look at the freshly built Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa for the FIFA World Cup. These are among the many features and stories in the 2010 issue of SPREAD|Artculture magazine. Look for it at a newsstand, Barnes & Noble, or Borders near you.

Tracey Emin, Photo: David Eustace

Central Park, Photo: Stephen Wilkes

Moses Mabhida Stadium, Photo: Roy Zipstein

George Lois, Photo: Mark Lund

Henrik Vibskov, Photo: Nick & Chloé

A film still from Shirin Neshat’s Women Without Men, 2009

Products by Julian Paul, Sebastian Wrong, and Michael Sodeau, Photos by Dana Gallagher

Read SPREAD|Artculture magazine online

What do Parisians, babies, and the cast of 30 Rock all line up for? The answer: Apple store openings. Two new locations were recently unveiled, Apple’s first store in Paris at the Carrousel du Louvre, and its fourth in New York City on the Upper West Side. On hand to document the beauty of the new stores was Roy Zipstein, Apple’s go-to store photographer for the past 5 years. Zipstein has traversed continents for Apple, shooting stores at home in America (New York, Boston, and Chicago) and abroad in Europe (London, Munich, and Zurich), Asia (Tokyo and Beijing), and more (Sydney and Montreal).

Apple’s sleek products and distinct store designs have earned a cult following. Apple diehards are so enthusiastic that Zipstein often runs into them lining up outside stores a day or two in advance of the opening. In particular, the crowd in Paris was one of the most enthusiastic that Zipstein had seen so far. Thankfully, the fans are always more than willing to leave their seats to allow Zipstein to get his exterior shots.

Having built a 5-year relationship together, the collaboration between Zipstein and Apple almost seems like a dream. The Apple creative force that Zipstein works with is highly inclusive, from the graphic design department to the retail development team to the architects. The teams have been unchanged for the most part, which provides a great sense of continuity. Comments Zipstein, “It is like a family reunion every few months when we meet up in a new city to open a new store. The shoots are long and intense and everyone’s ‘game’ is elevated by the collective attitude.”

When it comes to direction, Apple trusts Zipstein, letting him know what they need from a shoot while giving him free reign to explore his own ideas. “Everyone at Apple brings a sense of professionalism and excitement which I truly appreciate and thrive on,” says Zipstein.

Each Apple store is crafted with as much attention to detail as their products. Adds Zipstein, “The Apple Stores are so beautifully designed, inside and out. It’s been very interesting to witness the design process evolve over the last few years, through the use of different materials such as glass, stainless steel and stone, and the evolving interpretation of the interior space. Having the architects present at some of these shoots and being able to exchange thoughts with them has been an added bonus for me.”

Besides the retail stores, Zipstein also shoots portraits for the Apple retail website and their in-store “One to One” program. Click here to view more of his work.