Apple's ambitious floating dome retail store in Singapore opens on Thursday

Apple has been known for its unique retail stores around the world. A year after renewing its famous Fifth Avenue store, the Cupertino firm is preparing to launch its most ambitious retail store in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

Come Thursday, Apple Marina Bay Sands will be open to customers. The retail store is a large floating dome in Marina Bay, which is one of the most iconic locations in Singapore. Borrowing from its glass cube structure at the Fifth Avenue store, Apple's new retail store will be an all-glass, fully self-supported dome structure, comprised of 114 pieces of glass with 10 narrow vertical mullions. The glass will be lined with custom baffles designed to counter sun angles and provide a uniform, nighttime lighting effect.

Inspired by the Pantheon, an oculus will sit at the apex of the dome that will provide a ray of light that will illuminate the interior, providing a captivating experience for all visitors. Inside, apart from Apple's products, of course, will be trees that will provide soft-shadows and foliage.

Apple Marina Bay Sands will be the Cupertino firm's third retail store in Singapore. It will open almost 40 years after Apple opened its first corporate office in Ang Mo Kio that dealt with the production of PCBs for Apple II computers.

A team of 148 people will be welcoming visitors for the first time on Thursday, September 10 at 10:00 AM SGT. Given the special circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visits to the store on Thursday will be by appointment only to ensure the health and safety of the visitors and staff. If you are interested, reservations for visiting Apple Marina Bay Sands can be made here.