About Kengo Kuma
| Design | Kengo Kuma |
| Containers | 29 |
| Area | 320 m2 |
| Location | Hualien, Taiwan |
| Year | 2018 |
Kengo Kuma was inspired by the uneven foliage of the coffee trees to create the design of the new chain store. The stacked shipping container system creates a high space that provides natural light through the various skylights installed throughout the structure. Inside, the rooms have wooden cladding, contemporary furniture and graphic prints on the walls.
The project is part of Starbucks' commitment to building sustainable stores around the world. The brand recently announced that it will invest in “greener stores” - many of these prefabricated modular structures, built off-site before delivery and installation, opened in the United States.
Shipping container architecture eliminates the use of traditional construction projects that pollute the environment.
Description by architects
We designed a mobile café with recycled containers in Hualien, a spot popular for sightseeing in Taiwan.
We stack up the 40 foot containers to a height of four levels, by staggering in the angle of 90 degrees to create a transparent building like a tall tree. Since they are stacked in a rotating pattern, we were able to produce various types of terraces as well.
I believe that the porous ‘Urban Forest’ that makes good use of the containers can be a new prototype of sustainable architecture and lightweight mobility.