Apple has hundreds of physical stores around the world that serve as stores, repair centers and community hubs where people can learn to be more creative. To date, however, none of these glittering Apple meccas have been built on water. As The Straits Times reports, the company has confirmed plans to open a dome-shaped store near the Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore. We do not know when the doors will open, but a spokesman said it was “coming soon.” “It will be a space for you to explore, connect and create something new,” explains an official teaser site.
As Archigardner reports, the store replaces a shard-shaped Crystal Pavilion that once housed a nightclub called Avalon. Apple has rebuilt the structure with glass panels that will reflect the Singapore skyline during the day and, according to materials published by 9to5Mac, glows like a lantern at night. “The shape of the structure informs a whole new store layout,” the company posted, and will be partially illuminated by a circular window at the top of the dome. Like the original Crystal Pavilion, it will be connected by a boardwalk and an underwater tunnel that connects to a nearby shopping center.
