Introduction
With building designs and infrastructure, it is important to provide both a safe space and sensory stimulation. It’s no doubt that stepping into Apple stores and offices creates an environment that enhances revolutionary concepts and technical developments which we see continuously produced by Apple.
Alongside this, the design choices integrated into these offices help to chain Apple offices together into a technological network of innovation and inspiration for users and employees.
Cupertino, CA: Apple Park
One Apple Park Way in Cupertino, California is the location of Apple’s HQ office and its world-renowned Apple Park.
Designed by British architect Norman Foster alongside Steve Jobs and previous chief design officer, Jonathan Ive, Apple Park has become the hub driving Apple into the future. The “ring” structure, also known as the “spaceship” was designed to create a seamless whole for continued creativity, innovation and wellbeing. This was Norman Foster’s first Apple project which catalysed the designing of many Apple stores to follow. The ring was not the initial design construct for the Apple Park but this was formed after iterations of planning and identifying the resolution between concentration and team space.
The Apple Park campus consists of: the Ring Building, Steve Jobs Theatre, Fitness & Wellness Centre, Visitors’ Centre and South Parking. The entire Apple Park campus is encompassed by flowing parkland that enhances the buildings as places to socialise, exercise and work.
Built in 2014, infinite loop consists of 80% of green space planted with drought-resistant trees and plants indigenous to the Cupertino area allowing the campus to be powered by 100% renewable energy and is considered one of the most energy efficient buildings on Earth.
Apple employees have access to communal ‘pod’ spaces for collaboration, private office spaces for concentrated work, and glazed perimeter walkways that allow uninterrupted connection to the green landscapes which is known to promote lower levels of stress and reduce rates of depression and anxiety (Wells et al, 2003) (Park et al, 2010).
Ang Mo Kio, Singapore: Ang Mo Kio to Marina Bay Sands
Singapore serves as Apple’s base for its Asia-Pacific operations. The major Apple offices in Singapore is located in Ang Mo Kio and is a recognised centre of innovation and expertise as the country embraces a high-tech vision for the future.
In 1981, Apple’s first office in Singapore opened with 72 employees and manufacturing focused on the Apple II. For the past 40 years, Apple has worked to foster economic growth, educational outreach, and environmental sustainability, propelling its partnership with Singapore.
Singapore is home to five Apple Distinguished Schools, where all of its educators are certified Apple Teachers, trained in foundational skills for iPad and Mac, while students accelerate to learn basic Swift coding as part of their core curriculum.
One of Apple’s most visually stunning retail stores is also found in Singapore. The Apple Marina Bay Sands (MBS) opened last September and is one of Apple’s most visually stunning stores. In collaboration with Fosters + Partners under Norman Foster who also designed Apple Park, the Marina Bay Sands provides glare control and reduces the area of exposed glazing, lowering the energy required to cool the space. The transparent glazing at store level allows visitors to have a direct connection with the outdoors, gradually transitioning to darker panels at higher levels to reduce solar gain.
Set within leather-topped planters, they also provide comfortable places to sit and enjoy the ambiance of the store and the fantastic views of the marina, especially the famous water show. Apple and Singapore's evolution since the 1980s has been "remarkable". With the new MBS store, the tech giant wanted to live up to the expectation of that continuing development.
Apple also has offices in the Innovis tower in the Fusionopolis Two development at 2 Fusionopolis Way, in Singapore's Queenstown area.
London, UK: Battersea Power Station
The historic Battersea Power Station which has been refurbished by architects, WilkinsonEyre is one of the largest brick buildings in Europe and is set to occupy the new Apple offices in London.
Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station in South West London, regarded as an iconic landmark in London owing to its Art Deco fittings. Its surrounding area has undergone a "painstaking" restoration process in recent years to develop a modern and contemporary shopping mall, food halls, offices and residential living.
Apple will be the largest office tenant occupying approximately 500,000 sqft. across 6 floors of the central Boiler House inside the historic icon. It said that 1,400 Apple employees from eight locations around London will consolidate the new UK office space.
The Apple offices within the power station will be designed by Fosters + Partners so workspaces are currently being developed to maximise opportunities for collaboration as well as employee wellness.
According to Apple, the bricks will be hand-fired at the same quarry in Gloucestershire where the power station's original bricks were made more than 70 years ago. These are among the design decisions made by preservation specialists such as English Heritage to ensure the design is sensitive to the existing architecture.
Check out our previous post on the Apple Design Team here. Let us know what you think!
