The Starbucks Coffee designed by Kengo Kuma is located opposite the main approach to the Dazaifu Tenmangu, one of the most important shrines in Japan. Along the road leading to the sanctuary there are traditional one or two storey Japanese buildings.
The project aimed at realising a structure which fitted in with the urban landscape by using a system of diagonal weaving of thin wooden pieces. 2000 pieces of wood of variable length ranging between 1.3 and 4 metres for a section of 6 cm, of a total length of around 4.4 km, characterising the space.
"We had experimented the weaving of sticks for the project of Chidori and GC Prostho Museum Research Center, and this time we tried the diagonal weaving in order to bring in a sense of direction and fluidity. Three sticks are joined at one point in Chidori and GC, while in Starbucks it is a more complicated joint.”
The cave-like setting provides a warm and welcoming environment and beckons the visitor into this fluid yet geometric space.
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