The Cube's Monumentality
Definitions of monumentality in architecture indicate a variety' of factors, from the structure’s size and innovations in construction materials and techniques, to the civic values for which it stands. Some definitions of monumentality are even contradictory. Perhaps the most widespread idea about monumentality is that it has to be a very large size. Although a 32.5-foot cube is dwarfed in size compared to other familiar monumental architecture, such as the Great Pyramid of Giza (originally 481 feet tall),40 or even other iconic glass monuments such as the Louvre Pyramid (72 feet tall), the cube exemplifies multiple definitions of monumental architecture. The cube’s materiality suggests a new type of monument appropriate for its time and purpose, made with a substance not traditionally associated with monuments.
Monuments as Symbols of Human Aims
In the 20th century, architects largely turned away from monumentality, as an outdated interest of traditional architecture, to instead focus on the social functioning of buildings. When modern architects posed the question of monumentality, it was seen afresh. In 1943, urban planner Josep L. Sert, painter Ferdinand Leger, and architecture historian Sigfried Giedion wrote the essay “Nine Points on Monumentality.” Of the nine, two are elaborated here in order to understand how the Apple cube aligns with Western definitions of monumentality. The first point states, “Monuments are human landmarks which men have created as symbols for their ideals, for their aims, and for their actions. They are intended to outlive the period which originated them, and constitute a heritage for future generations.”
In the case of Apple, the cube symbolizes the spirit behind their products, which is connected to the public persona of Steve Jobs. The mourning that followed the death of Jobs was akin to that of civic heroes, like Martin Luther King Junior, John Lennon, and John F. Kennedy. However, unlike these men, Jobs was not known for his likability, generosity, or ethical ways; in fact, he had a reputation for arrogance and ruthlessness. Why, then, would masses of strangers congregate at Apple retail stores worldwide to mourn his death? One possibility is that the mounting was for the company, and its leader, who brought them products that somehow defined an identity of the time - the intimate machines of iPhones, iPods, and iPads.42 These devices are a means to the human aims of self-expression and connection with other people.
In smartphones, glass is the surface of human contact with the machine. Intimate information - from photos of family and pets that bring joy and texts that make our hearts race, to recorded voices that make our hearts sink — is all accessed through the touch of fingertips on glass. Intuitive commands that use fingers — from tap and swipe, to zoom — heighten the intimacy between the devices and our minds and bodies. Despite criticisms against technology in the information age, including alienation, loss of privacy, and a variety of ailments resulting from addiction to devices, mobile phones have undeniably transformed the ways people express themselves and connect with each other. We increasingly receive the important stories of our lives - from those of births, deaths, and engagements, to victories and losses in elections - through the light-emitting glass screens of our phones. Glass is the mediator of our most intimate secrets and news. Glass, then, is a fitting material choice for a monument to Apple’s intimate machines.
In a 1995 interview, Steve Jobs was asked whether he was a “hippy or a nerd,” and he responded he was clearly a hippy, for the spark and the spirit that the hippies sought out:
(The spirit) is the same thing that causes people to want to be poets instead of bankers, and I think that’s a wonderful thing. I think that same spirit can be put into products. Those products can be manufactured and given to people, and they can sense that spirit. If you talk to people that use the Macintosh, they love it. You don’t hear of people loving products very often, but you could really feel it.43
This spirit at the core of Apple’s design and marketing, one that elicits intimacy between people and their devices, may be what stirred sympathy in Apple fans worldwide. Jobs also spoke about the humanist side of Apple’s design, which other tech companies cannot seem to master:
The whole computer industry' wants to forget about the humanist side and just focus on the technology. But I think there’s a whole other side of the coin, which is, “What do we do with these things?” “Can we do more than spreadsheets and word processors?” “Can we help you express yourself in richer ways?”
Apple claims to shorten the distance between humans and machines by making personal computing apparently personal. The iPhone emphasizes the “I” — reference to a self15 - fulfilling human needs for emotional and intellectual connections. This apparent, or real, intimacy, and the surge of the feel-good hormone dopamine caused by what the screen delivers, are also what makes smartphones addictive.
While glass aptly symbolizes Apple in many' ways, there is also an irony to Apple’s choice of transparent glass to symbolize their company. Apple is known for its culture of secrecy, where employees are prohibited to talk about the company or their products. Apple’s product launches rely on intense concealment and the big reveal that follows. Tellingly, the transparent glass cube on 5th Avenue most prominently frames its glowing logo (Figure 6.1). The cube is the rhetorical devise, and the store with products, employees, and customers is hidden underneath. Despite the contradiction between the clear visual appearance of glass and the opaque company culture, the cube is a profoundly effective symbol for a company that has shortened the distance between humans and machines through a glass interface.
