To our North American readers, Starbucks likely conjures images of overpriced coffee and a plethora of MacBook Pro users occupying all the seats. It does not bring to mind architectural innovation, but perhaps it should, as the Starbucks located in Fukuoka, Japan is nothing short of astounding. Designed by architect Kengo Kuma, the structure uses hundreds of interlocking wooden blocks — a particular favorite of Kuma. The architect apparently wanted to give the impression that the Starbucks was nestled in a tree. While beautiful, the design also functions as a roof support and Kuma claims that the entire complex could be disassembled and rebuilt somewhere else.

(images Kengo Kuma, Frame via Fox is Black)

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