The latest Apple Store in Tokyo is fronted by a row of two-storey protruding windows that turn the shopfront into a series of display cabinets.
Located near the Imperial Palace in the Marunouchi district of central Tokyo, the Apple Store has been deigned by Foster + Partners in collaboration with Apple's design team.

Built on a corner site at the base of a modernist 1970s tower block, the Apple Marunouchi store is fronted by seven large windows with cast aluminium frames that the studio refers to as vitrines ? a type of glass display cabinet.
"We wanted to create a restrained presence amid the bustle of Tokyo," said Stefan Behling, head of Studio at Foster + Partners.
"The beautifully crafted aluminium vitrines define the boundary of the store and Apple's presence, offering everyone walking by a glimpse into the store."
Foster + Partners created the two-storey windows to be a continuation of the expressed structure of the tower above and create an identifiable facade for the store.

Bamboo has been planted inside each of the producing windows ? a plant that the studio also included in its design of the Apple Store in Macau.
"The structural grid gives the entire volume a certain rhythm, while the calm interior is enhanced by the bamboo that lines the perimeter," said Behling.

The two-storey store is arranged around a double-height void aligned with the main entrance. A sculptural staircase made from white-painted aluminium provides access t...