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Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

Wavy white concrete roof tops Foster + Partners' Apple Aventura store in Miami

Foster + Partners has completed its latest Apple Store in Miami with an undulating white concrete roof that draws on the city's art deco buildings.

The British architecture firm worked closely with former Apple chief design officer Jonathan Ive, who left the company earlier this year, on the project.

Called Apple Aventura, the store is located in Aventura Mall shopping centre in the north of Miami.

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

It comprises a boxy, two-storey building with glass walls and trees inside, following the aesthetic of the numerous stores that Foster + Partners has created for Apple.

"This store is very 'Miami' to me – its special trees, the light and the new roof," said 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," he continued.

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

The wavy roof topping the building, meanwhile, takes cues from the 1930s modernist buildings of Miami's South Beach, which feature white concrete, curved walls and geometric details.

"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, Foster + Partners' head of studio.

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

The roof is made from seven, precast 20-foot-wide (six-metre-wide) concrete arches coloured white. The barrel-vaulted ceiling is supported by thin steel columns, also coloured white and clad in a concrete casing.

"We love the honesty and purity of the concrete," Behling said.

Apple Aventura is the first Apple Store to be built of white precast concrete. The material is a continuation of its application at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, which was completed by Foster + Partners in April 2017.

The concrete component inside Apple Aventura comprises beams measuring 80 feet (24.3 metres) that span between pillars spaced 60 feet (18.2 metres) apart. White fabric then covers the ceiling for acoustics.

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

At the middle of the store is built-in stadium-style seats facing a "Forum screen" that displays visuals.

The steps scale two levels and feature leather seating and charging stations. They are also designed to serve as a place for hosting Apple Genius appointments, in addition to Apple talks and Apple Music events.

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

At the top of the steps is a store area accessed by an entrance that is located on a higher level. At the bottom of the stadium is a light-filled space where wooden tables display Apple products alongside indoor planted trees.

Anchoring the building is the mall's entrance and plaza, complete with trees, low plantings and teak outdoor furniture.

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners

This courtyard is designed as a "response to Miami's outdoor lifestyle" and also serves as "an outdoor Genius Grove". Nearby is a garden featuring metallic slide called Aventura Slide Tower by German artist Carsten Höller.

Foster + Partners has designed a number of Apple Stores that implement the tech giant's retail vision. Others in the US include Apple Michigan Avenue in Chicago, featuring a roof that resembles a Macbook, and a store inside a historic Washington DC library.

More images and plans

Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners
Ground floor plan
Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners
Site plan
Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners
First floor plan
Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners
Section plan
Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners
Apple Aventura by Foster + Partners