Apple Cotai Central has been recently completed in the center of Macao, not far away from the Morpheus Hotel by Zaha Hadid Architects, and it is a real contemplative place, where technology, entertainment and art coexist.

The building is the result of a collaboration between Apple’s design team, directed by Jonathan Ive and Angela Ahrendts, and the architectural firm Foster + Partners.

The building is structured both inside and outside. From outside the Apple Cotai Central, with its cube shape and surrounded by a bamboo forest, resembles a Chinese lantern. Furthermore, it offers citizens a large square, a sort of urban room.

Once inside you are welcomed in the large atrium where you find the materials used for the exterior, including bamboo that, in this case, falls from above. The use of natural elements, materials such as glass and light stone, and maximum exploitation of natural light create a simple and elegant space, managing to convey a feeling of quiet and relaxation. A real urban oasis.

all images © Nigel Young