Scheme includes a roof terrace, cafe and shop

The Foster + Partners-designed visitor centre at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, has opened to the public.

Created to be a public gateway to the precinct, it features an expansive roof terrace that provides a rare glimpse into Apple Park.

The glass building is set within a grove of olive trees and has a cantilevered timber roof that provides covered outdoor seating areas.

Several elements within the centre replicate those within the main building to give people a taste of the precision detailing at Apple Park, including quartz-clad staircases. 

A highlight is the large-scale model of Apple Park, which has been designed to appear suspended in mid-air within the center and has been milled and finished by the same machines that create Apple products.

The $5bn Apple Park is the main headquarters of the tech giant and was also designed by Foster + Partners. Nicknamed the Spaceship, the building opened this spring and will be home to 2,000 employees.