Apple’s First Floating Store With Underwater Boardroom Revealed

A new Apple
AAPL
store makes its debut in Singapore, where its unique sphere-shaped store sits on top of the iconic Marina Bay waters, neighbour to Louis Vuitton’s Island Maison. Working with architects Foster + Partners, the all-glass dome structure comprises of 114 pieces of curved glass, adjoined by only 10 narrow vertical mullions. Apple and its partnering architecture studio have also recently opened a new Bangkok flagship in the form of a glass drum just last month.

Formerly occupied by the nightclub Avalon, customers will get to enjoy the 360-degree panoramic views of Singapore’s city skyline, making it a new and captivating retail experience that’s unique to Apple’s other 512 stores. This is Apple’s third retail location in Singapore, following its initial flagship on Orchard Road and at the Jewel Changi Airport. The retailer has had 40 years of deep historical roots with its first corporate office in Ang Mo Kio in 1981, where they had produced printed circuit boards for Apple II computers worldwide. 

The 17,000 square feet store features three distinctive zones, beginning with an open-air boardwalk from shore to the dome. Inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, an oculus is located at the apex of the dome, illuminating the store with natural light but its baffles work to deflect Singapore’s tropical heat and harsh sunlight. Paying homage to the lush greenery of Singapore’s gardens, trees line the perimeter of the store, embracing The Forum. The space will be used to host ‘Today at Apple’ sessions as well as for special events, serving as a stage for Singapore’s artists, musicians, and creatives. The Forum will also feature Apple’s new generation of thin and bezel-free LED video walls.

Like Huawei, the Apple store will also have near 150 employees that can speak over 23 languages to assist consumers with personal technical support. The third zone sees an escalator descending to an underwater boardroom where it will host training and personal consultation services to entrepreneurs and developers. The lower level doubles as a subaquatic tunnel that connects to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands shopping mall.

The glowing lantern-like store is set to open on Thursday, 10 September at 10 a.m. SGT, just in time for the upcoming Mid-Autumn festival. However, visits will be allowed by appointment only, adhering to rigorous health measures with mandatory masks, temperature checks, and social distancing.