Apple is bringing its latest retail design to Italy for the first time with the opening of Apple Piazza Liberty. The flagship is designed to revitalize a piazza in the centre of Milan, complete with a public plaza and a store below; it is located just off the Corso Vittorio Emanuele. The entrance to the store is designated by a beautiful glass fountain and the adjacent plaza is open to the public 24 hours a day and will host events year-round.

'To work within one of Italy's historic piazzas is both a great responsibility and wonderful challenge,' Jony Ive, Apple's chief design officer explains. 'We combined two fundamental elements of the Italian piazza — water and stone — adding a glass portal that creates a multi-sensory experience as visitors enter the store through a cascading fountain that seems to envelop them.'

Apple Piazza Liberty features the updated Apple Store layout with areas that include Genius Grove, The Forum, and The Avenue, aka parts of the store dedicated to activities like support, classes, and shopping.

Milan, with its rich history of art, entertainment and creativity, is well-matched to Apple's commitment to learning, creativity and connection. Apple Piazza Liberty, with its focus on community cultivation, will provide a local backdrop to the Today at Apple programme, which offers free hourly sessions on photography, filmmaking, music, coding, design.