Foster + Partners has unveiled the design of its latest retail outpost for Apple near Cotai in Macau, China. Known as the Apple Center Cotai, the new cubic volume is designed in collaboration with Apple’s chief design officer Sir Jonathan Ive.
The store welcomes visitors with an outdoor plaza and bamboo grove that symbolizes a tranquility from urban hustle. Crafted from five layers of glazed glass and thin stone, the store is supported by three corner columns wrapped in mirrored stainless steel. Stone panels illuminate the interior and shimmer when exposed to sunlight to emit a glow that offsets the neon lights of Cotai. An additional bamboo grove anchors the interior beneath the central skylight. Display tables are oriented to maximize views of the centerpiece, while dual stone stairways lead to an upper level that connects to an adjacent mall.
“We wanted to create something very simple and pure—a beautiful and elegant building that complements the sounds, sights, and colors of Macau while embodying a sense of clarity and quietude,” says Foster + Partners head of studio Stefan Behling. “The design creates two distinct spaces, one inside and one outside, imbued with a sense of authentic beauty arising from the innovative use of natural materials.”
