Apple opens a store inspired by Emirati culture

Apple's new store is located in The Dubai Mall, one of the busiest retail environments in the world, with around 80m visitors annually. It is described by design agency Foster + Partners as a ‘highly innovative response to the culture and climate of the Emirates’.

The design of the Apple Dubai Mall is a modern interpretation of mashrabiya – a traditional Arabic architectural element. Its Solar Wings provide shade for the outside terrace during the day and open in the evening to reveal the distant Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain.

‘The Apple Dubai Mall is an exceptional architectural and social experience for visitors, bringing to the fore new ideas about the evolving role of Apple flagships in the community,’ says Stefan Behling, senior executive partner at Foster + Partners.