When news broke of the third-ever Apple store opening in Singapore, a single image went viral — that of an almost neo-futuristic, tinted glass dome with the distinctive Apple logo in red projected on the front. The dome seemed to float upon the water in Marina Bay, and the closer you got to it, the more apparent its breathtaking scale became.
From the outside, the store seemed to upend all the expectations of what an Apple Store should look like, while at the same time fitting seamlessly into the design of the surrounding The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. T Singapore spoke to Chris Braithwaite, the senior director of worldwide retail design at Apple to find out more about the concept and design features of what has quickly established itself as one of Apple’s most unique stores.
According to Braithwaite the concept of the store was based on a simple idea. “What we imagined was a clear bubble floating on the water,” he says. While the idea could be perfectly described by this simple concept, the execution it required was tremendous.
The dome, which has a 30m diameter and is 70m tall, was the first of its kind in terms of both its shape and floating structure. Inspired by the architecture and the incredible landscape of the Marina Bay, the store was designed to offer spectacular 360-degree views of the surrounding bay area. Built over what was the former South Crystal Pavilion at the Shoppes at the Marina Bay Sands, the building turned out to be more challenging to bring from concept to reality than they had anticipated.
Esta historia es de la edición October 2020 de T Singapore: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 2020 de T Singapore: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Look At Us
As public memorials face a public reckoning, there’s still too little thought paid to how women are represented — as bodies and as selves.
Two New Jewellery Collections Find Their Inspiration In The Human Anatomy
Two new jewellery collections find their inspiration in the human anatomy.
She For She
We speak to three women in Singapore who are trying to improve the lives of women — and all other gender identities — through their work.
Over The Rainbow
How the bright colours and lively prints created by illustrator Donald Robertson brought the latest Weekend Max Mara Flutterflies capsule collection to life.
What Is Love?
The artist Hank Willis Thomas discusses his partnership with the Japanese fashion label Sacai and the idea of fashion in the context of the art world.
The Luxury Hotel For New Mums
Singapore’s first luxury confinement facility, Kai Suites, aims to provide much more than plush beds and 24-hour infant care: It wants to help mothers with their mental and emotional wellbeing as well.
Who Gets To Eat?
As recent food movements have focused on buying local or organic, a deeper and different conversation is happening among America’s food activists: one that demands not just better meals for everyone but a dismantling of the structures that have failed to nourish us all along.
Reimagining The Future Of Fashion
What do women want from their clothes and accessories, and does luxury still have a place in this post-pandemic era? The iconic designer Alber Elbaz thinks he has the answers with his new label, AZ Factory.
A Holiday At Home
Once seen as the less exciting alternative to an exotic destination holiday, the staycation takes on new importance.
All Dressed Up, Nowhere To Go
Chinese supermodel He Sui talks about the unseen pressures of being an international star, being a trailblazer for East Asian models in the fashion world, and why, at the end of the day, she is content with being known as just a regular girl from Wenzhou.
