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Ikea is rapidly expanding in the Japanese market over the past 10 years. The IKEA Tachikawa is their 7th in Japan and the first one in Tokyo.
Arup provided project management, structural and MEP engineering advisory services from the procurement preparation stage to handover. The new store with a total GFA of 90,000m² was completed in 11 months under a fast-track programme.
Innovative procurement method
Ikea was seeking a new procurement method to further improve time and cost efficiency by involving the general contractor in an earlier project phase.
A two-stage competition was introduced for the design-and-build contract with a ‘minimum’ package of the schematic design. The new method allowed the appointed contractor to incorporate their own techniques and construction methods into the design.
Combined fire protection standards
In addition to the Japanese regulations, the US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards were also applied in addition to their construction manual. NFPA standards are stricter than Japanese codes for some aspects, such as the capacity of the smoke exhaust fans and the areas that should be covered by sprinklers.
In conjunction with Ikea, an external fire consultant and the contractor, Arup arranged the best mix of the NFPA standards, the Japanese regulations and Ikea’s construction manual.
