Shipping containers are primarily used to transport goods around the world. In fact, approximately 95% of the world’s cargo is moved by ship. However, there are actually plenty of additional creative ways to utilize steel cargo containers. With the correct modifications, you can transform a shipping container or two into a portable office, an extra storage area for the family, or even… an extremely successful coffee chain?
According to Curbed, a brand-new Starbucks has been constructed entirely out of shipping containers — 29 of them to be exact.
Believe it or not, the coffee chain has actually constructed 40 container stores, but this one is perhaps the most visually appealing and architecturally astounding.
Kengo Kuma, a Japanese design architect has designed museums from concrete and sculptures from air purifying paper — now he’s helping Starbucks with this new project. Kuma arranged 29 used containers into an angular, two-story building equipped with a drive-thru. The project was designed to evoke the “uneven foliage of coffee trees.”
Daily Coffee News adds that the new 3,400-square-foot Starbucks is located in Hualien City, Taiwan.
“The store is designed to help bring people together over coffee,” said a Starbucks spokesperson. “Inside, the containers feature 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.”
Here are some additional cargo container creations that can be found across the worldwide coffee sector:
Huckleberry Coffee Roasters — Another 29-container development in Denver.
Copa Vida’s Carlsbad Shop — This San Diego-based shop boasts a 40-foot shipping container bar.
Caffe Umbria — At this Chicago shop, all kinds of container material can be found throughout the interior.
Hello Kitty — This San Diego popup shop is made of containers and very, very pink.
Box Coffee — This appropriately-named shop can be found in Miami.
If you want to buy used shipping containers for your own personal or professional needs, give Integrated Equipment Sales a call right away.
