The British company Foster + Partners is developing the design of a number of Apple Store stores, whose products do not need to be introduced. Ahead of their competitors by several steps, Apple also cares about the presentability of its branded stores. We present you the 10 best works of Foster + Partners, who came up with the design of Apple stores from Beijing to Istanbul.
1
Apple Zorlu Center, Turkey (Build Date - 2014)
The Apple Zorlu Center in Istanbul was the first official Apple store developed by Foster + Partners. The aboveground part of the building is a glass cube towering above the area inside the shopping center. Approaching the cube, visitors can see the "insides" of the store, which goes underground 2 floors.
The area of the building built in 2014 is 18 m². During the construction of the shopping center, the "hollow" was intended for the discharge of water. Interestingly, Apple’s collaboration with Foster + Partners began during the life of Steve Jobs. In 2009, he turned to the head of the British company, Norman Foster, with the words: "Hello, Norman, I need help."
2
Apple Westlake, China (2015)
This store is one of the largest retail outlets for Apple products in Asia. The facade of the Apple Westlake is a glass “box”, with a cantilevered floor and stairs made of unusually durable glass.
The storefront includes 11 double glazed panels. The visibility of AppleWestlake's "insides" is controlled by blinds that are mounted on the ceiling and, if necessary, are lowered mechanically. The height of the “box” is 15 meters.
3
Apple Michigan Avenue, United States (2017)
The thin carbon fiber roof is reminiscent of a MacBook cover and is the hallmark of the Apple official store in Chicago. Like all other objects from this list, this brainchild of Foster + Partners has glass walls that are surrounded by granite stairs leading to the promenade.
By the way, on most-beauty.ru you can admire the most beautiful stairs in the world.
Apple Michigan Avenue is rightfully considered one of the most ambitious projects of Foster + Partners. Visitors to the store can not only see the latest “apple” products, but also see the river through a ten-meter glass wall. The building also functions as a social center, it provides training programs, including the creation of a startup, photography and poetry.
4
Apple Orchard Road, Singapore (2017)
Wide carved stone stairs and potted trees are the pride of Apple design developers in Singapore. Like some other stores created by Foster + Partners, the Singapore building is green. At the entrance you will see eight full trees, and inside you will find 12 beautiful ficuses.
The decision to "green" the store was influenced by the official status of Singapore - the greenest city in Asia. Interestingly, all the energy inside the store is supplied by renewable sources, which also fits into the concept of caring for the environment. The width of the facade in the style of minimalism, made of glass, is 37 meters. It is covered with a cantilever canopy designed to protect the trading floors from the tropical rains of Singapore. The first and second floors of the store are connected by hand-carved staircases from Italian stone Castanga. Also inside Apple Orchard Road, Apple has the widest screen in the world, serving as a platform for presentations of the city’s creative youth.
5
Apple Dubai Mall, United Arab Emirates (2017)
The Apple Store Bay in Dubai is surrounded by a 56-meter wide terrace. It offers views of the city and the skyscraper of Burj Khalifa. The pride of the developers are carbon shutters, modeled in the traditional Arabic style, and used to protect the store from the scorching sun during the day. The shutters are called “solar wings”, whose flaps give a beautiful view of the city at night and protect from ultraviolet radiation during the day.
Pots for trees located inside the store are designed for mechanical rotation, which ensures uniform reception of light by plants. Seats are also attached to them so that visitors can enjoy the beautiful view. The first photography and film production training program was launched at Apple Dubai Mall, giving many talented people from around the world the opportunity to grow.
6
Apple Cotai Central, China (2018)
This cuboid store in Kotay, a newly developed island near Macau, features a translucent facade made of a composite material including glass and stone. A distinctive feature of the building is bamboo, growing both outside and inside. Dense thickets and a peculiar bamboo grove surround Apple Cotai Central, making it one of the most picturesque stores of the apple company.
It is noteworthy that the facade consists of five layers of glass that are covered with a layer of stone, which creates the illusion of a solid stone wall that glows from the inside. Foster + Partners architects compare store walls with a stained glass window or a traditional paper lamp in China. The interior of this Apple Store also contains bamboo rising through a hole in the ceiling to the top floor. It is fueled by the sun's rays penetrating inward through skylights mounted on the roof. Of course, all this beauty is complemented by ultramodern goods from Apple, enthralling the local population and numerous tourists.
7
Apple Champs-Elysees, France (2018)
One of the most unusual Apple stores created by Foster + Partners. It is located in an apartment building of the 19th century on the Champs Elysees of Paris. The store is surrounded by the courtyard of the building and is crowned with a kaleidoscopic solar roof that reflects sunlight through a prism of glass.
Designers were able to successfully combine the color of 19th-century Paris with the modern interior of AppleStore. Passing through the classic Parisian corridor with exhibition space on both sides, you will find yourself in a recently restored courtyard dotted with greenery. The first thing that catches your eye is a kaleidoscopic roof that lets in sunlight. Seen from below, you can see how solar panels reflect images of nearby buildings. Reflections succeed each other as the client moves around the yard. In addition to retail space, Apple has equipped the yard for various events, including entertainment performances and educational lectures.
In the photo: Beautiful railing of the store. If most-beauty.ru will write a rating of the most beautiful railings and balusters, then we already have one candidate to enter this list.
Having brought a lot of new things, the architects preserved and restored many original details of the courtyard, including wooden and marble stairs, which are conductors between the floors of the store.
8
Apple Kyoto, Japan (2018)
The two-story Apple Kyoto store features a gigantic translucent facade, which is created in accordance with traditional Japanese houses, reminiscent in design of lanterns. The facade is made of glass coated with printing dots and is supported by an aluminum frame.
The store is located in the historic district of Kyoto, on Shijo Dori Street, which has been considered the main trading place in the city since the 17th century. The translucent façade blurs the line between the busy street and the tranquil interior of Apple Kyoto. Having passed through sliding glass doors, you will immediately enter the main hall with the company's products.
At the far end is a large screen that creates an animated store background. The use of movable chairs with an original cubic design allows the administration to hold free seminars and other public events.
A little look around you will notice a hidden staircase with a railing “recessed” into the wall, which will lead you to the second floor, where Apple’s technical innovations are also presented.
9
Apple Piazza Liberty, Italy (2018)
The eight-meter high facade with a fountain in the traditional Italian square in Milan invites you to come closer to see the descent into the Apple Store, designed by architects Foster + Partners. Going down into a kind of amphitheater, you can feel the genuine delight of "penetration" into the fountain.
Under the fountain inside the sunken store, more than 20 trees are planted. In the lining of the internal walls, the Lombardy gray stone Beola Grigia was used. The cantilever staircase leading to the store is made of stone and polished steel steps. Apple Piazza Liberty is open 24 hours a day, also hosting a range of cultural events, including the traditional Milan Series21 festival. Over time, the area around the fountain will also be equipped with architects of the British company, who have committed themselves to Apple to build branded stores around the world.
10
Apple Iconsiam, Thailand (2018)
The first official Apple store in Thailand has two luxurious glass facades, as well as many trees that are designed to erase the border between the building and the adjoining square. It is crowned with a large hinged roof, lined with wood. Four massive columns were used as supports, not “stealing” the internal area of the store.
Through a glass facade, visitors enjoy views of the Chauphray River, located near the Iconiam shopping complex, of which the Apple Store is a part. The river is of particular importance for Thai culture, so providing visual communication was one of the main tasks of the Foster + Partners architects. There is a small garden on the roof of the building, which includes not only an observation deck, but also a space for the technical activities of the store.