![Apple Store 2 [Converted].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/8da329_28da0ed0352b4b27bc8c304bc219050a~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_980,h_698,al_c,q_90,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/8da329_28da0ed0352b4b27bc8c304bc219050a~mv2.png)
Which is not fixed,
linear and decorated,
but which derives
its appearance from
its purpose and components.
Where the demands
of society and economy
have led to the expansion
of form and growth
of function complexity,
to create buildings of necessity.
Decentred
Human
Design:
Translating iPhone (engineering) to architecture (Apple Store)
Apple's retail space: 'the Apple Store is the emblem of 'decentred' human design (DHD). The iPhone is the prototype of the Apple Store (Bird, 2018). Adaptable and flexible tectonic elements embedded with advanced technology are constructed to showcase technology, with people becoming activators and collaborators.
The 'Hardware' is the physical and visible component of the iPhone's system that houses the software and determines its features, aesthetics, and function. The iOS 'Software' is the inner technology operating system that powers the iPhone hardware, manages all aspects of the device, and provides a platform for the seamless interactions and processes of hardware and software.
​
Figure 7: Glass Staircase in Westlake Apple Store by Foster + Partners (Young 2015).
​
The iPhone's hardware is the different components of the Apple Store. The stairs are the RAM; the battery is the system that powers the store; the software is the function of each hardware. The stairs (the RAM) are for circulation, creating harmony in the device for the user's experience (Figure 7). The UI and UX design are the activations of the people that create the intangible, spatial experience, the phenomenological experience, and the atmospheres. The speaker parallels the sound of the store space, the system built for the intangible experience of the user.
​
Figure 6: Façade Elevation of Westlake Apple Store by Foster + Partners (Young 2015).
iPhone's
metal
enclosure
parallels the load-bearing structure of the apple store (Figure 6). The colour 'finish' of the iPhone is the store's façade, the paint, texture, and material. The iPhone's front elevation and internal hardware (Figure 8) resemble the architectural views of the Apple Store's plan (Figure 9). The tables resemble the apps of an iPhone (Figure 10).
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Figure 8: Left: iPhone 14 Pro Max Back and Front View (Apple 2022). Right: iPhone 14 Pro Max Internal Architecture (Wiens 2022).