Located at the heart of Central World Square in Bangkok, Apple Central world has officially opened.
Designed by Foster + Partners, the store faces a generous public plaza and the Erawan shrine located across the road. It is connected to the BTS walkway via a new bridge at the upper level. The building itself comprises an 80-foot diameter two-story glass drum that features a conical support with a concave vertical surface that stands on its apex. The central support is clad in timber formed of 1,461 European white oak profiles. The oak timber is split into individual lamellas and bonded onto a spruce core for stability.
A staircase with helical turbine blades that cantilever from the central structure connects the two main sales areas on the two levels. Each tread of the staircase is milled from solid blocks of stainless steel and polished to a reflective shine. The fully glazed drum surrounding both floors provides 360-degree views of the urban area.
The circular roof projects out 10 feet to provide shade to the glazed facade. This glazed facade helps to blur the boundaries between the inside and outside, establishing a new public space for the city that features a ring of trees interspersed with external benches.
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Oct 24, 2019
Top 70 Retail Engineering Firms for 2019
Jacobs, Kimley-Horn, Henderson Engineers, and Core States Group head the rankings of the nation's largest retail sector engineering and engineering architecture (EA) firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.
Giants 400 | Oct 24, 2019
Top 125 Retail Architecture Firms for 2019
CallisonRTKL, Gensler, MG2, NELSON, and Stantec top the rankings of the nation's largest retail sector architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2019 Giants 300 Report.
Healthcare Facilities | Oct 1, 2019
Medical offices are filling space vacated by retail
Healthcare developers and providers like the locations, traffic, and parking these spaces offer.
Retail Centers | Sep 6, 2019
Another well-known retailer files for bankruptcy: Here's the solution to more empty anchor stores
Where can you find the future of retail? At the intersection of experience and instant gratification.
Retail Centers | Sep 3, 2019
Puma’s flagship in North America creates immersive experiences for its sports-focused patrons
Technology and curation allow customers to personalize their product selections.
Retail Centers | Aug 6, 2019
Saving the American mall in 5 steps
CallisonRTKL Vice President Marc Fairbrother explains how struggling American malls can turn it all around.
Retail Centers | Jun 21, 2019
Nation’s largest Nissan facility opens in Houston
A 162,500 SF dealership building set on 16 acres, Central Houston Nissan, in Texas, is being touted as the largest Nissan dealership in the country.
Reconstruction & Renovation | May 22, 2019
Foster + Partners converts historic D.C. library into an Apple store
The building was the city’s first public library.
Retail Centers | Apr 30, 2019
Is this the future of retail? Walmart seems to think so
The retail company recently unveiled its new AI-enabled store in Levittown, N.Y.
Retail Centers | Apr 2, 2019
Brick-and-mortar retail is not dead—here’s proof
We continually hear that “retail is dying,” but there are many foundational retail types essential to consumers—here’s a look at 3 of them.
