Catering to the Danish capital's aspirations regarding infrastructure and green space, the new IKEA store in Copenhagen designed by architecture studio Dorte Mandrup features a richly plated rooftop park that doubles as a new pedestrian route stretching one kilometre within Vesterbro neighbourhood. Located in one of the city's busiest area, neighbouring the central station, the historic Meatpacking District, and the inner-city harbour, the project's elevated public space offers a respite from the bustling streets, providing the area with a much needed green space.
Dorte Mandrup's design for the new IKEA city store creates several layers of public space while also challenging the Swedish retail giant's traditional blue and yellow box aesthetic. The front plaza creates a green space at the foot of the Dybølsbro bridge, featuring bike parking, a café area and access to the rooftop park. The white façade covered in greenery is thought of as a curtain "pulled aside in a few places, revealing the items displayed inside". The façade ends with a pedestal that provides seating and a resting place around the building.
Vesterbro is a densely populated and active district of the city that only has a few green pockets and walkways available. With the new rooftop park, we want to give back a green lounge to the local community and create both intimate resting places and opportunities for spontaneous meetings. From the top of the roof, you have a beautiful undisturbed view over Vesterbro, the canal, and the inner city. - Dorte Mandrup, founder and Creative Director
The project aligns with Copenhagen's goals to become the first carbon-neutral city by 2025 and with IKEA's commitment to be a circular business by 2030. In this sense, the design features solar panels and re-uses water from the adjacent canals for cooling. The project will create parking space for more than 760 bikes, while the street level landscape and the rooftop will contain 250 trees and bushes.
The IKEA city store aims to change the retail experience, providing locals with a new destination and meeting place. As stated by Johan Laurell, CEO of IKEA Denmark, "[the locals] can also stop for a cup of coffee, dwell on the rooftop or meet friends for dinner. This way, we try to bring something back to the neighbourhood." The new IKEA store is expected to open its doors in 2023.
