You might have seen the image of the new Apple store on the Marina Bay Sands waterfront all over the news recently and wonder if the interior is as amazing as the exterior.
The answer is, yes. We went for a preview yesterday and it looks a-ma-zing.
The new Apple store located at Marina Bay Sands marks Singapore’s third Apple store, but its unique design has made it one of the most iconic and recognisable Apple stores in the world.
Apple MBS will be open to the public on September 10 (Thursday), 10am on a strict appointment basis to ensure safety and hygiene during the pandemic. You can book your slots, which are timed at 45 minutes each, here.
The Apple MBS store is completely surrounded by water and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Singapore skyline.
Wondering how the exterior looks like close-up? Just walk down the bridge that connects the store to the Marina Bay Sands waterfront. If you enjoyed the view inside the store, you’ll love the view of the store from the outside too.
Enter the store through its basement entrance located at #B2-06 (which is near Zara), and be greeted by wall-to-wall Apple products and accessories.
Take the escalator up to the dome and be mesmerised by a gorgeous flood of light.
The Apple MBS store takes inspiration from the Pantheon of Rome, with an oculus located at the apex of the dome. A ray of light can be seen flooding into the store at all hours of the day.
There are no walls in the dome and no support beams within the store. It comprises of 114 pieces of glass that are held up by 10 narrow vertical mullions. The interior of the glass is lined with custom baffles to counter the sun’s angles and reflect ambient light at night.
The Apple store spans three levels (Level 1, Basement 1 and Basement 2), which are accessible by lift and stairs. Level 1 and Basement 2 are also connected via an escalator.
The lift is a silver cylinder located almost in the middle of the store, but looks so inconspicuous that you might miss it.
If you’re wondering, Basement 1 is where the Boardroom is located. It’s not open to the public, but it’s the place where they hold training sessions for small companies and small-group sessions.
The Forum has a stunning video wall and will serve as a stage for the Today at Apple sessions, which are temporarily suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but one can dream about having this space filled with artists, entrepreneurs, and musicians sharing their craft.
(Read also “6 Free And Fun Ways To Get Your Virtual Culture Fix“)
The Apple Marina Bay Sands store will have a team of 148 people, who collectively speak over 23 languages to welcome guests from all countries.
This article was first published in Harper’s Bazaar Singapore.