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
Mixed-Use | Jan 19, 2024
Trademark secures financing to develop Fort Worth multifamily community
National real estate developer, investor, and operator, Trademark Property Company, has closed on the land and secured the financing for The Vickery, a multifamily-led mixed-use community located on five acres at W. Vickery Boulevard and Hemphill Street overlooking Downtown Fort Worth.
Sustainability | Jan 10, 2024
New passive house partnership allows lower cost financing for developers
The new partnership between PACE Equity and Phius allows commercial passive house projects to be automatically eligible for CIRRUS Low Carbon financing.
Transit Facilities | Dec 4, 2023
6 guideposts for cities to create equitable transit-oriented developments
Austin, Texas, has developed an ETOD Policy Toolkit Study to make transit-oriented developments more equitable for current and future residents and businesses.
Engineers | Nov 27, 2023
Kimley-Horn eliminates the guesswork of electric vehicle charger site selection
Private businesses and governments can now choose their new electric vehicle (EV) charger locations with data-driven precision. Kimley-Horn, the national engineering, planning, and design consulting firm, today launched TREDLite EV, a cloud-based tool that helps organizations develop and optimize their EV charger deployment strategies based on the organization’s unique priorities.
Retail Centers | Nov 15, 2023
Should retail developers avoid high crime areas?
For retailers resolute to operating in high crime areas, design elements exist to mitigate losses and potentially deter criminal behavior.
Retail Centers | Nov 7, 2023
Omnichannel experiences, mixed-use development among top retail design trends for 2023-2024
Retailer survival continues to hinge on retail design trends like blending online and in-person shopping and mixing retail with other building types, such as offices and residential.
Sponsored | | Oct 24, 2023
Dark Deliveries in Retail Stores
Wireless Access Control Allows for Safe Deliveries During Retail Off-Hours
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 19, 2023
Transforming shopping malls into 21st century neighborhoods
As we reimagine the antiquated shopping mall, Marc Asnis, AICP, Associate, Perkins&Will, details four first steps to consider.
Retail Centers | Sep 13, 2023
Stars are aligned for growth in luxury retail sector
JLL's Luxury report says pent-up demand and lack of available selling space are driving this market.
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 13, 2023
Houston's first innovation district is established using adaptive reuse
Gensler's Vince Flickinger shares the firm's adaptive reuse of a Houston, Texas, department store-turned innovation hub.
