Star Trek: 10 Secrets Of The Kelvin Enterprise You Need To Know
9. The "Apple Store"
When Star Trek was released in theaters on May 8, 2009, a common refrain among more critical fans was (among other things) that bridge of the Enterprise looked like an Apple Store. While this comparison was meant to be a jab at the bright white look of the elaborate new set, it actually wasn't that far off... at least in spirit.
Back in 2007, when Star Trek was in midst of pre-production, Apple's iPhone was a brand new product, one that heavily inspired JJ Abrams' take on the Star Trek Universe. According to Ryan Church – one of the designers of the Enterprise – Abrams' enthusiasm for his new iPhone "seeped into the decision making" that went into the film's production design.
Visually though, the look of the new Enterprise's bridge didn't really look much like the Apple Stores of the era and was instead inspired by designers from the 1960s and 70s.
According to production designer Scott Chambliss, "my goal was to bring the look back to the original TV series, but with fresh eyes." To that end, Chambliss designed the Enterprise sets to reflect the "Googie" architectural styles prevalent during Star Trek: The Original Series' heyday.
The bridge of the Enterprise was heavily inspired by architect Eero Saarinen's iconic TWA terminal at New York's JFK Airport. The corridors of the Enterprise, by the way, closely resemble architect Harry Weese's design for the Washington DC metro station at Dupont Circle.