Mysterious Apple Park Arch is for a May 17 Event Celebrating Steve Jobs and Formal Apple Park Opening

A curious stage with a rainbow-colored arch was spotted yesterday in drone footage we shared of the Apple Park campus, leading to speculation about what it might be for.

As it turns out, the arch, which is in the rainbow colors of the original Mac logo, is for an upcoming May 17 employee event that will celebrate the formal opening of ‌Apple Park‌ and serve as a tribute to Steve Jobs, who conceptualized the spaceship-like design of the main building on the campus prior to his death.

appleparkrainbowarch
Details on the event and an interview with Apple design chief Jony Ive were shared by Cult of Mac after the site obtained a copy of internal information about the project that was originally shared with Apple employees.

Jony Ive's design team created the multicolored arch in partnership with a custom concert staging company, and conceptualizing the design took months of work. It's made from 30 unique machined components that make it easy to build up and take down for special events, but there are 25,000 parts in all including the structure itself and the metal skeleton underneath.


According to Ive, the overall goal was to "create a stage that would become immediately recognizable as the Apple Stage." The rainbow color was chosen because it's "been part of [Apple's] identity for many years."

Ive also said that the rainbow's presence is "keenly felt in many places" and that at the end of the day, it's "hard to find somebody that doesn't love a rainbow."

There is the resonance with the rainbow logo that's been part of our identity for many years. The rainbow is also a positive and joyful expression of some of our inclusion values and I think that one of the primary reasons the idea resonated so immediately and so profoundly with us was the form -- the connection from an aesthetic design point of view. A semi-circle relates so beautifully and naturally to the form of the ring.

The arch was created to be a three-dimensional object able to be "appreciated in the round" rather than just the front.

If you look at a plan view of Apple Park, the rainbow occupies an almost insignificant area. But it has a relevance and impact that is disproportionate to the area it occupies.

My space in Apple Park is on the external part of the perimeter. But I can see the rainbow reflected in the ceiling all the way through to where I sit. That truly wasn't planned but one of those lucky accidents.

We had planned the way in which the colors interplay between the discrete bands of the rainbow throughout the day making it more vital and fluid. There are some wonderful but subtle combinations and reflections.

It sounds like the rainbow arch won't be a permanent fixture at the campus, but will be able to be removed and put back up for various events hosted at ‌Apple Park‌.

There are no details on Apple's May 17 event for employees, but MacRumors was told that there will be a big name artist performing at the event. Apple's ‌Apple Park‌ Visitor's Center will be closed on May 17 due to the event.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...

Top Rated Comments

garnerx Avatar
81 months ago
Jony Ive's design team created the multicolored arch in partnership with a custom concert staging company, and conceptualizing the design took months of work.
Oh. My. God.
Score: 76 Votes (Like | Disagree)
johnyslats Avatar
81 months ago
Explains the lack of a radical iPhone redesign this year. The design team sure have had their hands full!
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tgwaste Avatar
81 months ago
At this point, everyone at Apple is just completely full of BS.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Williesleg Avatar
81 months ago
I miss Steve Jobs.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cb3 Avatar
81 months ago
"... Jony Ive's design team created the multicolored arch in partnership with a custom concert staging company, and conceptualizing the design took months of work. ..."

This is why you won't be seeing a new Mac Pro this year.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
81 months ago
its as if everything the guy does has to be some sort of Moby Dick masterpiece. It's just a multicolored arched stage. Geezus
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)