Design
The Problem With Australia's Next Apple Store
The company’s latest flagship will displace an Aboriginal cultural center in Melbourne.
When Federation Square first opened 15 years ago, Melbourne residents were skeptical. Understandably so: Its deconstructivist buildings were literally edgy; its abstract bluestone-paved plaza was like nothing else in town. This was Melbourne’s first proper public square—a civic center explicitly devoted to culture—and it took some getting used to.
Since then, Federation Square has become the heart of Melbourne, as The Age tells it. While the multifaceted geometries and sharp façades of the buildings may not be for everyone, even residents who don’t care for the design grudgingly admit that area has emerged as one of the city’s most recognizable features.