Oliver Haslam on April 27, 2017, 12:01 am

Apple Dubai Mall Store Opens Today, Features Motorized Solar Wings, ‘Today At Apple’, More

Apple’s latest retail store opens in the Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates on April 27th, and the company has pulled out all the stops to create a truly impressive retail space.

In a press release the company today outlined some of the impressive new features that the store will boast, including stunning views of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.

As you can imagine one of the issues faced when planning the new store is dealing with the extreme temperatures the country experiences, and in order to do exactly that the store will take advantage of a 180-feet wide motorized window which itself is made up of no fewer than 18 carbon fiber panels.

To mitigate Dubai’s climate, Foster + Parters 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 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 also focused on the re-branding of its in-store workshops, with the new name being “Today at Apple”. These new events will begin worldwide as of next month, with all Apple Stores taking part. Customers will be able to learn about anything from photo editing to coding.

Trained members of the Apple Store team will lead the sessions, with the new Dubai Mall in particular set to play host to music events and the like.

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.

Apple likes its stores to be more than just somewhere it can sell products to customers, and Today at Apple is undoubtedly part of that.

You can also check out the tour of the store in the video below.

(Video: Khaleej Times [YouTube])