【3D Printing】Revolutionizing Architecture! The First 3D-Printed Starbucks Store in the US
Starbucks has something new! Is this new product actually a 3D-printed store?
This Drive-thru Starbucks store, located on Boca Chica Boulevard in Brownsville, Texas, officially opened in June 2025. Its innovative and eye-catching 3D-printed design places Starbucks among a select few large retailers in the US that have ventured into applying 3D printing technology to commercial architecture.
This Starbucks store spans approximately 1,400 square feet. In collaboration with Peri 3D Construction, the entire build was completed in just 6 days, significantly reducing labor, time, and construction costs. The core engineering was dominated by robotic arms, employing a layer-by-layer concrete stacking technique. It features rectangular laminated concrete walls as a design characteristic, seamlessly integrating door and window structures into the overall architecture, ultimately presenting a highly futuristic visual experience.
At first glance, this compact rectangular building with the Starbucks logo doesn't appear significantly different from other stores. However, a closer look reveals its angular walls, resembling stacked tubular structures. Architectural experts point out that this store is an example of the construction industry exploring how to utilize 3D printing technology.
"It's too early for that," said James Ross, director of the Institute for Smart Structures at the University of Tennessee. "I'm excited to see diverse applications, and I believe the best uses will be found in the future. But for now, I think a lot of experimentation is happening, which is undoubtedly a good thing."
Andrew McCoy, associate director for research and innovation at Virginia Tech's Myers-Lawson School of Construction, called the new store "cutting-edge."
McCoy stated that, overall, the cost of construction using 3D technology is still higher than traditional wood construction. However, he mentioned that 3D technology helps address labor shortages and can accelerate construction speed. He predicts that 3D technology will eventually become more cost-competitive as it develops over time.
"You're starting to see this technology become faster, smaller," McCoy said. "It's getting easier to use."
"You're starting to see this technology become faster, smaller," McCoy said. "It's getting easier to use."
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In fact, this is not the first time Starbucks has used 3D printing technology in its stores.
As early as 2017, Starbucks used a 3D-printed Teavana bar, with its base constructed using 3D printing technology, in a Reserve Roastery store in Shanghai, China. Starbucks claimed it was built with recycled materials, similar to CONCR3DE. These 3D-printed layers formed a sturdy base approximately 7.5 meters long.
Starbucks' opening of its first 3D-printed coffee store in Brownsville, Texas, is not only an innovative attempt at commercial space but also a significant milestone in the digital revolution of the construction industry. Looking ahead, this building, constructed by robotic arms stacking concrete layer by layer, heralds a new era of more efficient, flexible, and sustainable construction that is rapidly approaching.
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