IKEA Westbahnhof Vienna
How IKEA cools the neighborhood of Vienna’s Westbahnhof with 160 new trees by up to 1.5 °C on a heat day.
| Project ID | AT-2020-010 |
| Project name | IKEA Westbahnhof Vienna |
| Project size | approx. 0.4 ha |
| Location | Europaplatz 1 1150 Vienna |
| Planning | querkraft Architekten |
| Landscape designers | Kräftner Landschaftsarchitektur Green4Cities |
| Customer | IKEA Austria |
| Environmental impact kit | Climate Check, Pre-Certification Check, Certification Check |
| Status | Completed |
Cool house park for Vienna
IKEA opened an innovative furniture store in Vienna in 2021. With its 160 trees, the building cools the neighborhood of Vienna’s Westbahnhof train station by up to -1.5 °C on a heat day.
At the beginning of the ideas competition process there was the question of what people around the location would want if they had a choice?
“The answer was clear – an inner-city park! – when asked what people around the location would want if they had a choice”
Jakob Dunkl
querkraft architekten
Together with his team and knowing that IKEA takes the issues of sustainability, biodiversity and neighborhood seriously, querkraft developed the visionary project of a vertical park that houses a furniture store and a hostel at the same time.
-
1 Building + 160 Trees = 2 Environment certificates -
up to -1.5°C air temperature on a heat day -
up to 12.6°C reduction of perceived temperature (PET)
From blue boxes to climate-fit innercity furniture stores
The first innercity IKEA store in Vienna impresses with a contemporary and highly innovative mobility concept – where there are no parking spaces, but for the first time there are many plants!
“We have come a long way from
Alpaslan Deliloglublue boxeson the green field to a downtown furniture store that is second to none. We are daring this experiment because our lives, customer behavior and mobility habits are changing rapidly. New ways are needed to counter this.”
CEO IKEA Austria
The many trees and bushes on all facades shape the image of the furniture store strikingly. They grow out of oversized plant pots and are sensor controlled supplied with water and nutrients. The effects of the building and its outdoor facilities on the micro- & urban climate were given a very high priority right from the start.
A total of 6 urban topics with a focus on open space were analyzed, optimized and evaluated: climate, water, air, biodiversity, energy and also costs.
The scientifically developed proof of quality from greenpass was subsequently also adequately counted in the BREEAM evaluation system for relevant indicators (microclimate, biodiversity & innovation).
“With greenpass we were able to confirm that the greening of this fantastic building is not only ‘prettiness’, but that the 160 trees make an active and sustainable contribution to cooling the city. This is how contemporary architecture has to work!”
DI Joachim Kräftner
CEO Kräftner Landscape Architecture
“The urban IKEA furniture store at Westbahnhof is a showcase project in terms of sustainability & we are pleased that this has now been officially confirmed by the greenpass Platinum certificate.”
Robert Charuza
Construction Manager IKEA Austria
Results
The evaluation framework for a greenpass certification is formed by standardized and differently greened reference scenarios, from totally sealed to fully green (worst case – moderate case – best case).
The striking green design of the furniture store scores better in all 5 key performance scores than the previous building stock. The results of the greenpass Certification show, based on the expert simulations using ENVI-met, that the project cools the air temperature on site by up to 1.5 °C on a typical heat day.
Impact
The green furniture store therefore contributes significantly to improving the situation on site compared to the previous building. Not only the neighbors benefit directly, but also future visitors to the building. 12°C reduced perceived temperature The perceived temperature (PET) on the roof terrace is more than 12°C cooler than on a heat day. The analysis and evaluation show that the vegetation used, including the substrate, stores more than 6 kg of CO2 per heat day which is three times more CO2 than with the previous stock. 2.700m² green space & 160 trees newly gained The project will provide approx. 2,700 m² of green space and 160 trees, which will add up to a leaf area of
“The green IKEA in the middle of Vienna will hopefully encourage many and convince skeptics to join and shape this path of transformation of urban spaces towards quality of life & climate resilience.”
Florian Kraus
CEO Greenpass
Additional bonus points
In addition, the project wins 15 (out of 20) bonus points in the qualitatively assessed bonus fields of biodiversity, resources and social issues.
The focus of the project is above all on the promotion of biodiversity through species diversity in the selection of plants, different vegetation structures, species-rich herb layer, habitat structures, bee and bird pastures as well as nesting and breeding sites. The use of recycled building materials in landscaping and the use of smart lighting and irrigation systems in the resources bonus field complete the list.
