Miami's vernacular architecture informed the blueprint for Foster + Partners' Apple Aventura, a grandiose new Apple store crowned by an undulating vaulted roof. Now open to the public, the latest Apple store continues the trend of presenting the company's popular tech gadgets in flashy standalone buildings, which have become architectural showpieces of their own.
The two-level store is bounded by transparent glazing interrupted by evenly-spaced steel columns, clad in concrete casing, that drip from a nautical precast roof. "This store is very 'Miami' to me — its special trees, the light and the new roof," said by Apple's Chief Design Officer Sir Jonathan Ive. "It is also quintessentially Apple, marrying the outdoor lifestyle with a sense of freedom and creativity that is intrinsic to the way we work."
Miami's Art Deco architecture provided the inspiration for Apple Aventura's flowing spaces, which includes a prodigious amphitheatre that Foster says forms the 'social heart' of the store. Featuring direct views of the Forum screen, the amphitheatre is outfitted with integrated charging stations and leather seating.
"We love the honesty and purity of the concrete. 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," said Stefan Behling, Head of Studio at Foster + Partners. "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."
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