Foster + Partners tops subterranean Apple Store with square dome

Foster + Partners, a UK-based architecture firm, designed Apple The Exchange TRX, the company’s first retail location in Kuala Lumpur. It features an unusual subterranean layout topped by a striking dome. This new store acts as a transitional area between the surrounding park and the shopping center it is next to.

An Architectural Marvel: The Square Dome

The only feature visible from the ground level is the store’s square-based dome, which gives the impression of being rounded at certain angles. This glass-walled dome, covered in louvres, lets light in but shields the interior from the sun. Foster + Partners claims that the 26.5 by 26.5-meter roof smoothly switches between square and circular geometries and has fins that adjust solar radiation to suit the tropical environment of Malaysia. The canopy seems to become more permeable as customers move up through the store, improving the overall spatial experience.

A Subterranean Experience: Layout and Design

The store is laid out below the dome around a sizable open atrium, which serves as a focal point for product demos and Apple product displays. The lower floors of the store have more exhibit rooms. The levels are connected by a stairway made of quartz and glass, with the lowest level serving as the mall’s entrance. With galleries and corridors allowing breathtaking views and unexpected lines of sight within the store, this design embodies the vibrancy of Kuala Lumpur.

Blending Innovation with Local Climate: Shading and Structure

Foster + Partners’ head of studio Stefan Behling observes that the store’s multilayer roof of stacked solar shading blades produces a dramatic interplay of light and shadow by appearing to float above the surrounding landscape. The interior design of the store strives to improve the overall shopping experience by presenting Apple’s cutting-edge products in an environment that is both contemporary and climate-responsive.

A Continuing Collaboration: Foster + Partners and Apple

With this project, Foster + Partners and Apple will be able to add more unique retail locations to their portfolio globally, extending their successful partnership. Apple The Exchange TRX’s design serves as an example of how architectural creativity may improve retail spaces, resulting in an experience that blends in well with the surroundings in addition to serving as a magnet for shopping.