Pavilion and staircase for a unique new Apple store combining unconventional construction materials; glass, carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP), and acrylic.

2017 ENR Global Best Projects, Retail
2017 IStructE Structural Artistry Award – Commendation

Eckersley O’Callaghan has engineered the pavilion and staircase for the new Apple store located in the Shuncheng Mall Plaza in Kunming, China. The pavilion combines glass, CFRP, and acrylic – unconventional construction materials – to interact and perform together as an efficient and elegant structural system.

The unique challenge of the project was incorporating the 24 opening glass doors around the perimeter of the structure. The structural system includes eight sets of 5.4-metre-tall glass ‘U-columns’. These are laminated, fully tempered glass with SentryGlas interlayers.

The ‘U-columns’ support a carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) roof (20.9 metres in diameter) with a central oculus of clear acrylic (8.3 metres in diameter) above a glass spiral staircase leading down into the subterranean store.

The 24 glass doors (16 swing and eight pivot) are located between the fixed ‘U-columns’ and are mechanically operated. When the doors are open, the arrangement enables customers to enter the store from all directions.

Location
Kunming, China

Client
Apple

Architect
IDA

Images
IDA | Hufton + Crow | Eckersley O’Callghan