Apple has previewed its new Singapore retail store, which sits directly on the water.
Apple Marina Bay Sands is the company’s third retail location in Singapore and is set to open to visitors later this week.
And Apple’s 512th worldwide store might be its most remarkable yet.
From afar, the store looks like a sphere floating on top of the Marina Bay water.
Inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, it is made from 114 pieces of glass and 10 narrow vertical mullions for structural connection.
Visitors will be greeted with a panoramic view of the city once they enter the store.
“We couldn’t be more excited to open the breathtaking Apple Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, building on our commitment to this special place that began more than 40 years ago,” said Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People Deirdre O’Brien.
“Our passionate and talented team is ready to welcome this community to our new store and deliver the care and support that our customers around the world love.”
Inside the store Apple uses the interior sphere of the wall to create shade and what is being called by Apple a “nighttime lighting effect.”
The shop floor is filled with all of the same gadgets you would find in any other Apple store. There is also large screen and seating area to host guests for talks and tutorials.
One of the coolest parts of the store is actually located underneath it.
Open to entrepreneurs and developers, Apple has created its first “underwater boardroom”.
Apple has put together a 148-person team – which can collectively speak 23 languages – to run the store.
The Singapore store comes just weeks after Apple was valued at $US2 trillion.
