Restored frescoes and ceilings, Carrara marble in homage to the Italian tradition, an imposing staircase and a skylight enhanced by LED lights, a green heart represented by a courtyard that used to belong to a monastery and a terrace with jasmine and olive trees.
15 years after the opening of the first store in Rome and 20 from the first store in the world, in Virginia, inaugurated by Steve Jobs, the Apple Store in via del Corso opens tomorrow in the center of Rome after a long recovery work and renovation of Palazzo Marignoli, built in the late nineteenth century.
"We hope to build a special connection with the local community and open a new chapter in Italy. The new store represents a celebration of the uniqueness of Rome's artistic and cultural history; we hope to inspire the creativity of the local community," he explains from California. Deirdre O'Brien, Apple's senior vice president of Retail + People. In the large shop, in compliance with the restrictions of the pandemic, the indications on capacity will be respected, a distance of at least two meters between customers and employees and an appointment to access is recommended to avoid gatherings.
The Today at Apple appointments will start online for the moment, training sessions on coding, photography, art and design, also for schools and teachers;
they will be in attendance as soon as government indications permit.
And there is an ad hoc Apple program for the capital called 'Made in Rome', "designed to provide the next generation of Roman girls and boys with inspiration, skills and tools to explore their passions".
Originally built in 1873 by the famous architect Salvatore Bianchi and then subjected to a second renovation by the architect Giulio Podesti, Palazzo Marignoli was the residence of the Marquis Filippo Marignoli and later housed the Caffè Aragno, one of the most important meeting places in Rome at his day, frequented by artists, writers and actors. Several works of art exhibited at Caffè Aragno have been restored and reintegrated into the new Apple Store design, including several graffiti panels created by the Italian painter Afro Basaldella in 1950. Fabio's "Alba" has also been recovered and integrated. Onion and the "Twilight" by Ettore Ballerini, two large paintings on the ceiling that date back to the early 1900s.As with previous restorations such as Apple Champs-Élysées in Paris, Regent Street in London, and Carnegie Library in Washington, DC, Apple and a team of local restorers have collaborated to create a balanced combination of historic architectural elements and contemporaries
Large glass windows overlook Via del Corso, allowing natural light to flow inside. The shop is built around an elegant courtyard with camphor trees, which is the green heart of the building, reminiscent of the historic monastery of Santa Maria Maddalena delle Convertite. On the first floor, four doors give access to an outdoor terrace, adorned with jasmine and olive trees, which is inspired by Roman terraces and overlooks the courtyard, providing natural light and a view of the shop. Once inside, visitors will find a monumental staircase dating back to 1888, restored in its original details in locally sourced Carrara marble. Upstairs, the Forum occupies the space that was once the ballroom of the Marquis palace,and that it will be the place to host the Today at Apple sessions. Adjacent to the Forum is a space dedicated to Apple Support and the Genius Bar, where a team of restorers have worked thousands of hours to restore the stunning hand-painted, patterned ceiling.
Via del Corso joins the 117 Apple Stores in 12 European countries. Apple's presence in Europe has spanned over 40 years and supports over 1.8 million jobs, with over 100 new jobs created for this new store. In all, Via del Corso hosts 200 team members who speak a total of 20 languages.