DUBAI 28 April 2017: Apple yesterday premiered its newest store in the Middle East – Apple Dubai Mall – with a 186-foot curved storefront and balcony overlooking Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Fountain.
Envisioned as a space for the community to gather, learn and be entertained, Apple Dubai Mall will also serve as a venue to watch the spectacular evening fountain shows and will host Apple’s new global in-store experience, Today at Apple.
Apple Dubai Mall is Apple’s second store in Dubai and third in UAE
“We view our stores as a modern-day town square, where visitors come to shop, be inspired, learn or connect with others in their community,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president, Retail.
“And what better place to come together than overlooking Dubai’s epicenter, where the Dubai Fountain, Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall meet. We are so honored to have a home at one of the world’s most incredible and dynamic intersections.”
Apple Dubai Mall’s 148 employees prepare the store to welcome customers.
At the heart of every Apple Store is the drive to educate and inspire. “Today at Apple“ will launch at Apple Dubai Mall and in all 495 Apple stores next month with new sessions across photo and video, music, coding, art and design, and more, led by highly-trained team members.
Apple Dubai Mall will also host high-profile events including live music, intimate conversations with film-makers and photographers, and live workshops with some of the world’s top talent. Events on opening day include Live Art with Myneandyours, and Artist Duos with musician Hamdan Al Abri and artist Sultan Al Ramahi.
New Creative Pros, the liberal arts equivalent to Apple’s technical Geniuses, will teach “Today at Apple” sessions and offer individual advice and training to help customers take their creative skills to the next level. All of the store’s 148 employees are ready to welcome customers from around the world and speak a collective 45 languages.
Like many of Apple’s other significant stores, Apple Dubai Mall aims to be open and transparent, blurring the barriers between inside and out, to erase the boundaries between the store and the community. To mitigate Dubai’s climate, Foster + Partners designed eighteen 37.5-foot-high motorized “Solar Wings” that respond to the ever-changing environmental conditions.
When the sun is at its hottest they cool the store, and in the evenings they open to welcome everyone to the public terrace. Inspired by the the traditional Arabic Mashrabiya, each “Solar Wing” is locally fabricated from 340 carbon fiber reinforced polymer rods, and at 180 feet wide, the 18 panels make up one of the world’s largest kinetic art installations.
Apple’s first two stores in the United Arab Emirates have welcomed more than 4 million visitors since opening in Dubai and Abu Dhabi 18 months ago. Apple will reach even more visitors from around the world at Dubai Mall, Emaar’s flagship mega-project and the world’s most-visited retail and lifestyle destination, welcoming over 80 million visitors for the past three consecutive years.
Apple’s location overlooking the lake will stay open as late as midnight to everyone exploring the area.
By Angel Chan