The Apple store at Battersea Power Station in London is the first sighting outside the US of the tech giant’s new, or at least evolved, retail design. A re-engineering rather than a radical facelift, the new store's design prioritises sustainability and applies, as much as possible, ‘universal design’ principles.
The usual Apple retail design tropes and systems are present and correct - the large product display tables, the mobile sales staff rather than checkout desks, the generous ceiling heights and uninterrupted sight lines, the disciplined, almost utilitarian restraint of material palette, and the meticulously handled curves and radii. At the same time, there is plenty of innovation in the use of more sustainable materials and in increasing accessibility (which is exactly what the universal design movement promotes), ensuring that the store is easy to navigate and interact with for all kinds of customers and staff.
