Unveiled on November 13, 2015, Kengo Kuma's three-story "fa-bo" has been billed as the world’s first use of carbon fibers as earthquake-resistant material. Located in Nomi City, Ishikawa Prefecture, the building is home to fabrics manufacturer Komatsu Seiren.

Rather than acting as interior supports, the fibers are set up on the exterior of the minimalist glass-and-concrete structure, their tensile strength acting to shore up the building in the event of an earthquake. Click here to see some of Kuma's innovative work in Niigata as well, and click below to see more sides of fa-bo!