Apple The Exchange TRX
Architect: Foster + Partners
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Type: Apple Store
Year: 2024
Images: Nigel Young
The following description is courtesy of the architects. Apple The Exchange TRX is the first Apple Store location in Malaysia, located within Kuala Lumpur’s new Tun Razak Exchange (TRX). The store’s three-dimensional layered roof emits a warm glow at night and acts as a focal point for the wider development. The design creates new visual and spatial connections between the mall’s central atrium and a rooftop park, which includes a lush tropical garden and a communal lawn that wraps around the store’s upper level.
Stefan Behling, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, said: “We are delighted to see Apple The Exchange TRX opening its doors to the public. The project captures the vitality of the city, with a layered roof of stacked solar shading blades that appears to float above the landscape. Galleries and walkways provide spectacular views of the natural surroundings and offer unexpected lines of sight through the store at different levels. The store’s grand interior showcases Apple’s innovative product lineups and aims to elevate people’s spirits with the celebration of light and shadow.”
Designed as a glazed dome, the 87 x 87-foot (26.5 x 26.5 meter) roof transitions seamlessly between square and round geometries from the base to the top. Responding to Malaysia’s tropical climate, it is shaded by a series of fins that are carefully angled to control solar radiation.
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The roof appears to be solid at the lower levels, becoming more permeable as visitors rise through the store. The lowest fin spans outward to shield the glass façade and create a shaded walkway around the edge of the store. A central glazed oculus, with 30% ceramic frit, brings soft daylight into the interior and incorporates a dynamic lighting feature.
The store is laid out across three levels with a viewing deck at the top that directly connects with the edge of the park, bringing daylight and greenery into the store through the soaring interior. A sculptural quartz and glass staircase – and a bespoke glazed elevator – connect the various levels, with layered landings creating multiple lines of sight through the space. The Forum is located on a floating deck and the avenue and display tables are on the lowest level with direct connections to the mall. The store includes a video wall and boardroom, as well as a dedicated Apple Pickup station.
Apple The Exchange TRX is designed with a refined palette of high-quality materials, including natural stone walls, polished stainless-steel columns, light Terrazzo floors and a timber ceiling.
