IKEA Opens Vienna Store With A Unique Design Assembled Like Its Shelves

When IKEA issued the brief for its latest store in Vienna to Querkraft Architekten, it said its aim was “to be a good neighbor.” 

Following this clear goal, the architectural firm set out to design an urban, unique building that would not only house the Swedish retailer’s car-free customers, but also include a hostel and public roof terrace on its upper floors. 

The result? An immediately identifiable façades resembling “a series of shelves that offer shade,” with a roof terrace for public use, greenery throughout the building, a café, and an outdoor space with a welcoming design—all part of its mission to be a “good neighbor.” 

Aside from looking very much like bookshelves from IKEA we’ve come to know and love, the intriguing shelf-like demeanor of the building is smartly functional, allowing for spaces to expand, providing extra room for planting crops on the terraces, and making room for necessary amenities including lifts, escape staircases, and washrooms. 

As the architects describe it, “the continuous void in the interior of the building allows visual contacts between the different floors,” which they believe will encourage customers to explore the upper stories via connecting escalators. 

In terms of sustainability, the structure makes use of the 160 creepers and trees to provide cooling and moisture for the store, or a “natural kind of air conditioning.” Plus, this three-dimensional use of greenery ensures that more square footage is given to plants than what would be available just on the ground. 

According to TreeHugger, while there are no parking lots for cars at the store, IKEA will provide emissions-free delivery services by electric trucks or e-cargo bikes. The company’s sustainability report pointed out that by building the new outlet, 350,000 car trips will be eliminated annually.

Check out the cool new layout below. 

[via TreeHugger and Querkraft Architekten, images via Querkraft Architekten]