Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma has designed an innovative store for Starbucks in Taiwan, built from recycled shipping containers. The shipping containers are stacked and naturally lit through the various skylights provided throughout the structure. Kuma had earlier built Starbucks Japan’s Fukuoka store. He is also the exterior architect for the upcoming Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Tokyo.The new coffee house, housed in the yet-to-be-opened Hualien Bay Mall, is Starbucks’ first store in the Asia Pacific. The location of the store is famous for its cuisine and beautiful landscape facing the Pacific Ocean.According to Starbucks, the store “offers the convenience of Starbucks drive-through for customers on-the-go on Nanbin Road, but also continues Starbucks 30-year history of sustainability by recycling 29 used shipping containers to form the store’s structure.”“Inside the geometric space, customers find a tribute to the cultural vitality of Hualien. The brightly colored wall mural represents the aboriginal Amis peoples with deep heritage in the City. The store is designed to help bring people together over coffee. Inside, the containers feature create warm and comfortable seating areas for customers. From one end of the container, customers can enjoy views of the beautiful mountain range. The other end is decorated with graphics that tell coffee stories,” a Starbucks press communique states.“Starbucks Taiwan joins a suite of Starbucks locations built from shipping containers. In the US, Starbucks has opened 45 of these pre-fabricated modular stores, built off-site prior to delivery and installation, creating an opportunity for the company to extend into sites not designed for traditional store locations while minimizing the environmental footprint generally associated with new buildings. Through these store formats, Starbucks is able to reuse reclaimed materials throughout the design,” adds Starbucks.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the store.http://www.blouinartinfo.comFounder: Louise Blouin  Read more