Foster + Partners has completed a new Apple store in Florida, Miami, featuring an undulating vaulted roof, made of white precast concrete that creates a play of light and shadow inside.

Named Apple Aventura, the new two-storey store addresses to Miami’s spirit of openness and generosity, bringing people together under an undulating vaulted roof that is reminiscent of the city’s nautical and architectural roots.

Taking cues from Miami’s white Art Deco traditions and climate, Apple Aventura is also the first Apple store featuring white precast concrete as the predominant structural system and it is also a continuation of the materiality Foster + Partners explored at Apple Park. 

Foster + Partners’ integrated design team of architects and engineers worked in close collaboration with the design team at Apple led by chief design officer, Sir Jonathan Ive - who recently left Apple to establish his own company - to build Apple’s latest store, which responds to the light, culture and climate of Florida.

"This store is very ‘Miami’ to me – its special trees, the light and the new roof. It is also quintessentially Apple, marrying the outdoor lifestyle with a sense of freedom and creativity that is intrinsic to the way we work," said Sir Jonathan Ive.

The new Apple Aventura store is located in the new wing at the bustling Aventura Mall, the ground level is adjacent to the mall entrance plaza and the fountain featuring the incredible public art sculpture, Aventura Slide Tower by Carsten Höller, showcasing Miami’s status as a destination for art and culture. 

Upon entering, visitors are welcomed with a densely planted garden with teak tables and chairs under the dappled shade that mirror the internal layout. Acting as an outdoor Genius Grove and a place for visitors to relax, the design of the garden is a response to Miami’s outdoor lifestyle.

Foster + Partners used glazed façade blurring the boundary between the interior and exterior and creating a green building with the grove of trees and display tables flowing seamlessly into the vast double-height hall, sheltered by the extraordinary vaulted roof. 

The roof is made solely from precast elements, its 80-foot-long (24.3 meter) concrete beams span 60 feet (18.2 meters) between slender steel columns, that are clad with a concrete casing. Between the beams, 20-foot-wide (6 meter) concrete arches span to form a barrel-vaulted ceiling, which is covered by a white fabric on the underside for acoustic attenuation. 

The vaulted roof also harvests rainwater that reduces the potable water consumption by around 170,000 gallons (650,000 liters) annually – a key sustainability measure in an area under significant fresh water stress. The colouring and materiality of the roof along with the extended eaves that shade the principal façades protect the store from excessive sun.

"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, 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."

Inside, a sweeping flight of steps form a generous amphitheater, looking onto the Forum screen. The amphitheater connects the internal entrance to the plaza below, the steps form the social heart of the store. 

They have leather seating and integrated charging stations where people can watch and experience Apple’s varied program of talks and Apple Music events and have their appointments with Apple Geniuses, all within a naturally lit and calm environment.

Foster + Partners recently completed a new Apple store with public plaza and water sculptures in Taipei. Another Apple store by Foster + Partners in Melbourne was cancelled following the rejection of plans by Heritage Victoria, a Victorian State Government body. 

The plans faced with a strong criticism from the public since "the new Apple store will harm cultural heritage and significance of Federation Square."

Foster + Partners was selected to design the expansion of Bilbao Fine Arts Museum in Spain. The firm is currently working on design for a boathouse for under-sourced communities in New York.

All images courtesy of Foster + Partners

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