Yes, the Sandcastle Apple Store really looks that bad
Posted in Apple by Dan at 9:33 pm
We recently brought some attention to the ugliest Apple store ever (Ok, the title is up for some debate).

At ifo, they have managed to get a few more snaps of the store, showing how polarizing the structure really is.
Note: Updated wording after posting


Geeze, you think a tribute to Art Deco is ugly but rave about a stoopid glass cube???
It really isn’t art deco… Corrugated aluminum was not in the style.
The fact is that a “traditional’ looking Apple store would look horribly out of place in that location. As is explained on the linked page, Apple used the existing architecture which was originally designed in the 1930s. Take a look at the other photos that show the surrounding area and tell me that you’d rather see a big transparent cube there instead.
I think that you are going a little hard against this store. It looks like they just want it to match the surrounding stores. It isn’t THAT bad.
IMO it is unique, not ugly.
No No No, I’m not saying it should be OUT OF PLACE. I’m saying Apple could have taken the same structural tones, and went in a different direction with it. I personally love Art deco style, but they went wrong here.
I love this story because I believe the structure is very polarizing, soliciting different opinions.
Sure, Apple could have torn down the building and redesigned it, but I think they made the decision to keep the existing structure unchanged for a bunch of reasons (cost, design, and area preservation), and I don’t think it’s quite right to say they “went wrong” for doing so. Personally, I’ve been to that location many times and I can’t imagine anything that Apple could design looking much better. (Not that I find any of the Apple stores unattractive, I just think that it wouldn’t be necessary to redesign this building when it already fits in with the style and mood of the area.)
Ok now, wrap your minds around this; everyone loves the glass cube, and they hate the sand castle, BUT, glass is made of sand.
So in a way, you all love the sand castle.
Try and find a hole in my logic. Can’t? Thought so.
Thanks Wash, you set my mind at ease… if only someone as intelligent as you were there to explain other ‘controversial’ events.
I’ve yet to see what’s ugly about that store. Care to point me the ugly parts of it?
Last post show me a truly ugly Apple Store. These new pics show me a better Apple Store, but still not as cool as others…
It matches its surroundings and still manages to pay homage to an earlier time. I live in Charleston, SC and if Apple put in a glass cube store I’d think they were ridiculously egoistic and lacking creativity to adapt. The problem with chains is everything looks the same, you gotta mesh with your surroundings (even if the traditional Apple store is neat looking). BTW, I’d love an Apple store in Charleston.
I like it
I think the problem is that everyone is arguing different things.
When you compare this building to the other buildings around it (and to many other Miami buildings), you’ll find that it fits in quite nicely.
However, that’s not what Dan is saying. I’m pretty sure that Dan is saying that when you compare this particular Apple store to other Apple stores, you’ll find that this one is the ugliest of them all and is, in fact, the most out of place.
Meh, semantics.
So much is expected of Apple..they come out with one “different” store and they get slapped with the label worst Apple store on the planet.