A result of a close collaboration between Apple and Foster + Partners, and Architects 49 Ltd., Apple Central World in Bangkok welcomed its first visitors this month. The new store is located at the heart of Central World Square, one of the city's important urban centers.

The two-story cylindrical structure maintains a sculptural presence at the southern end of the Square. The entire facade is wrapped in two-story glazing and boasts a striking 80-foot-diameter. Within the building, a concave timber-clad vertical assembly anchors the store and holds its vertical circulation.

The centralized staircase is a series of helical turbine blades that cantilever from the wooden structure. Each tread is milled from solid blocks of stainless steel and is polished to provide an intense reflective quality.

Moreover, the 360-degree views around the store give it a unique connectedness to the exterior plaza with its subtle greenery and landscaping. The interior experience blends smoothly with that of the outside. At the roof level, a 10 foot projection provides shade to the glazed facade, and the pedestrian plaza level below.