i think george suyama worked on some of the original starbucks...

but the rollouts of the last decade are really awful. really soul sucking work. kinda nice to see these firms revisioning. i'm really diggin the STUDIOS architecture long work table. that be interesting as an architect's studio as well...

holz, i was also happy to see Studios entry, and let out a sigh when i saw bill massie's "entry"...oh well..

VENT: what bothers me is that, if starbucks is closing stores to regain its soul, how come they are closing all but one starbucks in downtown detroit, while keeping 3 starbucks open at a high end shopping mall 16 miles away...now THAT seems soul-less to me...

simples...you gotta go where the people are man!!

my question is who commissioned this work? if it is architect magazine why are they asking designers to give free design advice to a corporate machine like starbucks?

All of them suck.

I wouldn't say they suck, but none strike me as the type of place where I'd want to relax. Something more along these lines seems better.