Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178323
PHOTOS: REUBEN KRABBE / LUMIC PHOTOGRAPHY IKEA Canada Richmond by Stacey McLachlan hen it comes to turning furniture shopping into an experience, no one does it better than Swedish icon IKEA . And with a new, 348,000-square-foot Richmond location located on 17 sprawling acres, the company is proving bigger is better. The original Richmond IKEA, located just a few blocks away, was built in 1984. "It was virtually an institution," explains project manager Josh Henderson of Pivotal Projects Inc. "The goal was to build a store large enough for IKEA's future needs, and both the developer and the City of Richmond were committed to keeping the store in the neighbourhood." It's not a surprise to see the new IKEA Canada Richmond building swathed in iconic blue and yellow. ABBARCH Architecture Inc. speci ied pre- inished, modular, insulated panels for the building's exterior for easy, airtight installation. Inside, the familiar, functional design takes the customer from the furniture display showroom, to the bins and shelves of product in the market hall, to the self-serve warehouse. "In many ways, the building design emulates the qualities of the products being sold: simple, modern, economical and ef icient," says project manager David Svehla of ABBARCH Architecture Inc. In the warehouse, customers can make use of an innovative automated merchandise retrieval equipment system. "It allows larger merchandise to be ef iciently and quickly retrieved for the customer's use," says Henderson. "This creates a vastly more ef icient use of warehouse space compared to other retail outlets." The biggest difference at IKEA Canada Richmond may be the vast new in-store restaurant: there's spacious seating for 600 guests (Ledcor Construction, the project's general contractor, estimates that it's the largest restaurant in Richmond), and sweeping views of Vancouver and the North Shore mountains. An open grid with noise baf les hangs above the families enjoying Swedish meatballs mid-shop. In B.C., earthquake preparedness is key, whatever the project, and IKEA Canada Richmond was no exception. "The store is built on an extensive piling and foundation structure W to ensure building stability in case of a signi icant seismic event," explains Henderson. A raised concrete base and structural steel framing clad in preinished insulated metal panels allows for on-grade parking below the store – a cost-effective and durable option. Above the concrete level sits a mezzanine – roughly half the loor space – with an open-web steel joist and beam roof. "The lateral system consists of ductile concrete moment frames for the concrete level and eccentrically braced frames for the steel levels," explains Aaron Korchinski, design engineer for structural consultant Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. "The building was so large that the concrete level had to be constructed in four segments with delay strips between them to limit the effects of concrete shrinkage on the structure." Although LEED status was not pursued, IKEA is committed to using sustainable building practices for all of its stores. IKEA Canada Richmond boasts a white roof, solar panels, roof herb gardens and energy-ef icient technology. "IKEA continues to demonstrate a corporate culture of energy conservation in the design and construction of its facilities," points out James F. Jesney, senior designer for consulting engineer Sterling Cooper Consultants Inc. The store utilizes high-ef iciency condensing water boilers as well as high-COP chillers, variable frequency drives for heating and cooling pumps and de-strati ication fans in the self-serve warehouse. LED, T5 and CFL bulbs provide ef icient lighting sources, particularly when combined with daylight harvesting skylights – direct digital controls and light occupancy sensors are used to maintain optimum operation. In the parking lot, hybrid parking spots and 100 bicycle racks promote green transportation to and from the store. Parking wasn't the only aspect of transportation the team took into consideration: the project incorporates a comprehensive transportation strategy, as project manager Paul Dorby of transportation consultant Bunt & Associates, describes. "Our company has been working with IKEA for many years, and we understand the unique customer travel IKEA Canada Richmond p.84-87IKEA richmond.indd 85 7/13/12 10:42 AM