A new Ikea store planned for Copenhagen will feature a public rooftop park and pathways along with the usual selection of flatpack furniture. Designed by Dorte Mandrup, it will also boast significant energy efficient design, including a solar panel array.
Ikea Copenhagen will be located in the Vesterbri district of Copenhagen (the city of Copenhagen also has an ambitious plan to become carbon neutral by 2025) and will involve landscape architect 1:1 Landskab and Søren Jensen Consulting Engineers. The project is part of Ikea's larger sustainable business effort, of which the Ikea Vienna Westbahnhof is also an example.
Though Ikea's trademark blue and yellow colors do of course make an obligatory appearance, the building will be a departure from the typical warehouse design the company is known for. Instead, it will be defined by a flowing exterior that's inspired by a white curtain with folds and ripples. It will be covered in greenery – over 250 trees and bushes will be planted – and will create a new rooftop park-like area, situated 20 m (65 ft) above the city streets.
"Different native woods, shrubs, grasses, and bug hotels matching the conditions of wind, sun and shade creates a rich fauna while at the same time delaying rainwater," explains Dorte Mandrup. "Not only adding a lush new park, the 150-meter [492-ft] roof garden will also be part of a new walking route stretching 1 km [0.6 miles] from the southern part of Copenhagen all the way to the inner city. The new front plaza adds a green space to busy Dybølsbro bridge, running over the train tracks – an entirely new public area with café and bike parking surrounded by urban nature with public access down to a new bus terminal and up onto the park above."
The project is slated to receive the BREEAM Outstanding green building certification. A rooftop solar panel array measuring 1,450 sq m (roughly 15,600 sq ft) will reduce its draw on the grid, while nearby canals will be used as a heatsink coupled to an energy efficient cooling system. Additionally, there will be bicycle parking and cargo bikes available to customers who want to haul their new furniture home.
Ikea Copenhagen is due to be completed sometime in 2023.
Sources: Dorte Mandrup, Ikea