Apple's latest retail store is topped by an undulating roof that helps reduce water use. Created by Foster + Partners, in collaboration with Apple's own design team led by Jony Ive, the project is inspired by Miami's famous Art Deco architecture.
The Apple Aventura store is located in a new wing at Miami's massive Aventura Mall, next to the entrance plaza and adjacent to a large metal slide installation named the Aventura Slide Tower by Belgian artist Carsten Höller.
The building is defined by a vaulted roof that Foster + Partners says reflects Miami's nautical roots, though also cites Art Deco architecture and even Apple Park as an influence. It features an integrated rainwater capture system that, according to the firm, reduces the building's potable water consumption by around 170,000 gallons (650,000 liters) per year.
Structurally, it features glazed facades and is made from precast concrete, with 80-ft (24.3 m)-long beams spanning 60 ft (18.2 m) between steel columns that are clad with a concrete casing. Large 20-ft (6 m)-wide concrete arches also span to create the roof, which has extended eaves to offer shading.
Inside, the majority of the space available is dedicated to product displays. A large staircase doubles as a seating area and has leather seats and integrated charging stations for people to power their devices while hanging out.
"We love the honesty and purity of the concrete," says Stefan Behling, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners. "The language and materiality at Apple Aventura Mall are inspired by Miami’s white Art Deco traditions and climate, making it an expression of its place and culture. This is the first Apple store to feature white precast concrete as the predominant structural system and it is also a continuation of the materiality we explored at Apple Park."
Source: Foster + Partners