Home to eight IKEA stores, the Scandi company entered the Austrian market in 1977 when it opened its first store in Vösendorf, a town in Lower Austria.

While IKEA may have a smaller presence in Austria than in some of its European neighbours, the country is home to one of the world's most innovative IKEA stores.

Located in Westbahnhof in Vienna, the building differs from the company's usual blue and yellow monoliths. Its unique architecture was inspired by IKEA's minimalist shelving units, while its eco-conscious design addresses Austrian shoppers' concerns about sustainability. The exterior metal frame and rooftop house 160 trees, which help cool the urban microclimate – the company says the foliage can even reduce the temperature at street level.

IKEA through the ages: how our favourite furniture store took over the world