British firm Foster + Partners has opened a new Apple store in London with green infills and an undulating timber ceiling. 

Named Apple Brompton Road, the new Knightsbridge store is situated between high-end department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols. 

The store is flooded with natural light from floor-to-ceiling arched windows.

"Apple Brompton Road is a calm oasis in a bustling and vibrant part of London," said Stefan Behling, Senior Executive Partner, Foster + Partners.

"Customers interact with Apple’s incredible range of products and experience their personalised customer service in a unique setting which incorporates historic and natural elements," Behling.

Image © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

The store consists of a single floor, square footprint. The 7-meter-tall volume incorporates an undulating, timber ceiling and has 4-meter-wide floor-to-ceiling arched windows that frame eight graceful Ficus trees. 

Inside, the trees reference London’s famous Hyde Park, which is only just a few steps away from Brompton Road. The tree-lined seating at the base of each planter becomes a visual feature as well as a social gathering space or resting area for visitors, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside while bringing nature directly into the building. 

Image © Apple

The natural light becomes dappled in appearance as it is filtered through the leaves and dances on the store’s interior surfaces.

The store is differentiated with curved timber ceiling that reflects the existing geometry of the building’s historic façade. The ceiling’s integrated fixtures are merged seamlessly with the timber panels, having been designed to match their colour and finish. 

The studio aimed to create a warm material and the materials have been carefully selected to create a calming and coherent environment for visitors and staff.

Image © Apple

On the other hand, stone, wood, and terrazzo complement the building’s exterior façade of bath stone and red brick.

"People enter the store through the central arcade, mirroring the dimensions of the original Brompton Arcade, which was built in this precise location in 1903," said Foster + Partners. 

"This central spine is defined by Castagna stone columns and four Ficus trees that also have seating at their bases," the office added. 

At the end of the tree lined arcade, the studio designed the Forum – another focal point of the design which acts as a separate learning and event space – with a large video wall. 

Image © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

The screen appears to float effortlessly on the surface with the audio equipment discreetly integrated into the stone walls. 

Image © Apple

The Forum’s volumes are amplified by a mirrored ceiling which is made from a specialised stretched fabric, generating an uninterrupted reflective plane. A designated Apple Pickup area, for collecting online orders, is positioned adjacent to the Avenue area on the left.

Image © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

Apple Brompton Road’s terrazzo flooring is comprised of a plant-based bio polymers, the first of its kind in Apple’s worldwide retail fleet. Like all Apple facilities.

As the studio explained, Apple Brompton Road is powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

Image © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

Image © Nigel Young / Foster + Partners

Image © Apple

Image © Apple

Image © Apple

Image © Apple

Image © Apple

Foster + Partners recently completed the National Bank Of Kuwait Headquarters in Kuwait and designed a flexible workspace with demountable timber structure in Madrid. 

Similarly, the firm designed an Apple store like a "glistening pearl" on Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island. 

Top image © Nigel Young / Foster+Partners.

> via Foster + Partners

Apple Foster + Partners store timber