Apple Joins the Mass Timber Movement

The consumer electronics company, well known for its design aesthetic, is the latest convert to the use of mass timber construction.

The brand’s new Miami Worldcenter store, which opened earlier this year, represents its first use of mass timber construction.

Designed by its in-house team, the free-standing pavilion in downtown Miami features extensive use of mass timber buildings and provides a nod to the area’s Art Deco architecture.

“We were inspired by softer, undulating surfaces and the articulation of mass found in the local art deco architecture to create a lighter, more dynamic result,” Apple retail design lead BJ Siegel told Dezeen, the online design newsletter. “We paid particular attention to the play of the light and shadow on all surfaces of the pavilion, sculpting the walls in and out while carving the base off the ground.

“Apple Miami Worldcenter is the first Apple Store with extensive use of mass-timber construction,” Siegel said, noting the use of cross-laminated timber (CLT) materials. “As a free-standing building with sizable spans, we wanted an efficient structural solution that could be sourced locally in the region and help reduce the overall carbon footprint of the project. We worked with a mass-timber vendor committed to pursuing an FSC certification, ensuring that the wood was responsibly sourced and contributed to a significant embodied carbon reduction.”

The mass-timber structure, which is line with the average Apple store size of about 9,000 square feet, encloses an open central space that is accessed from glazed entrances at each end of the building. “The materials used throughout the design were chosen to limit their impact on the environment while creating an inviting space for customers,” said Siegel. The roof has a raised garden atop it, “completing the full integration of the landscape below.

Our latest store designs are an expression of Apple’s values through its emphasis on the environment, accessibility and customer-centered experiences.”

Image: Apple

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