foster + partners unveils airy, light-filled apple at the grove store in los angeles

APPLE AT THE GROVE – ADDRESSING THE RICH HISTORY OF LOS ANGELES’ MOTION PICTURES

foster + partners continues its close collaboration with apple and unveils its latest apple store at the grove in los angeles. embodying the city’s energy and creative spirit, the design is rooted in its locality, addressing its rich history of motion pictures. its prime location, adjacent to beverly hills and west hollywood, places it at the heart of the global entertainment industry.

‘the initial vision was to create the most pleasant and stimulating environment for everyone, by drawing the trees from the grove through the store onto west 3rd street, an exceptionally spacious and light-filled volume to experience the incredible array of apple products,’ said stefan behling, head of studio, foster + partners. ‘it brings together the special light, the trees, the spirit of the film and entertainment industry and the art of illusion, all within the soaring volume of the store, amplified by the mirrored ceiling. the store is quintessentially apple, marrying the outdoor lifestyle with the creativity and innovative spirit that is intrinsic to the way they work.’

images by nigel young courtesy of foster+partners

A TRIPLE-HEIGHT, RECTILINEAR SPACE WITH A MIRRORED CEILING

a generous triple-height, rectilinear space welcomes visitors to apple at the grove by foster + partners. inside, a sense of airiness is amplified by a mirrored ceiling that gives an illusion of a much larger, 60-foot-high volume. made from specialized stretched fabric, the ceiling also creates an uninterrupted reflective surface. light fills the space via five-foot-wide linear skylights with beams spanning the entire width of the store casting rhythmic shadows onto the walls.

A FULLY-GLAZED FAÇADE WITH 10 x 31.5-FOOT SLIDING DOORS

fully-glazed, the exterior façade adds to the airiness and openness of the space. two 10 x 31.5-foot sliding doors welcome the outside in, and allow for a naturally-ventilated store for most part of the year. sixteen ficus trees line up from the street all the way into the interior, creating a direct connection with the street while generating a lush ambiance inside.

the whole store is laid out on a single level almost at street level with just a step above west 3rd street. the walls, clad in castagna stone, feature some of the longest apple avenue displays in the world. two secondary entrances can be found from the west 3rd street, one of which leads to the new dedicated apple pickup area for online collections.

triple-height, rectilinear space