Car-free + urban. This building makes an important contribution to the future of a living and ecological city and also to the future of retail – it is an urban IKEA with excellent connections to the public transport system and an inviting roof terrace – a good neighbour.
From a three-phase architecture competition involving several workshops, querkraft emerged as the winner. Already at the information session stage, the client formulated the goal: “We want to be a good neighbor”. querkraft’s approach to achieving this goal is reflected by a building that represents an added value, also for its surroundings. The roof terrace is accessible to the public offering somewhere to drink coffee, relax, and enjoy the view of the city, and a large amount of greenery on all the facades – these are all aspects that contribute to a “good neighbor “.
External shelves. The building’s external shell is reminiscent of a set of shelves. This approximately 4.5 meter deep, shelf-like zone runs around the building and provides shade. It allows spaces to expand and provides space for terraces and greenery, as well as for servant elements such as lifts, escape stairs and building services.
Openness allows interaction. The entrance level is a lively place – a spacious void will connect it with the retail areas that stretch ahead along Mariahilfer Straße. A void that runs right through the interior of the building will allow visual contact between the different stories.
60 trees on and around the building. Trees on the facade and on the roof have a noticeable impact on the microclimate. Since the trees can be placed at different heights and depths in the building, there are more plantings than would be possible on the building’s territory. In the “Urban Heat Island-Strategy Plan” of the City of Vienna, planting is one of the most important measures. The climbing plants and trees of the IKEA furniture store have a cooling and humidifying effect – like a kind of natural air conditioning system. The air temperature will also be improved at pedestrian level. Computer simulations indicate a relevant temperature reduction of 1.5°C.
Centralized + efficient building services. To ensure efficient conditioning of the building, the services are based on a simple principle: short distances and direct access. In the building, the infrastructure is left visible, increasing the perceived height of the space.
Mix of functions through open floor plans. The prefabricated reinforced concrete columns stand on a c. 10 x 10 meter grid that allows flexibility in the use and design of the spaces. Adaptations to meet changing demands can easily be made, as already shown. IKEA retail occupies the lower floors, and the 345-bed Jo&Joe Hostel is located on the upper two floors. This mix creates a building that is alive 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To ensure the optimal implementation of this car-free, city-centre IKEA, an almost entirely female team of architects under Carmen Hottinger as querkraft’s project manager works in close collaboration with the client.
