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| IKEA transforms a Swedish city into a sustainable community |
IKEA breaks down the boundaries of green homes and advocates for sustainable urban living - it's the first time in history that an entire city has been involved.
The ultimate furniture giant is working with the city government of Helsingborg in its Swedish hometown to develop a green community project called H22, which will include agriculture, retail and housing.
IKEA and Helsingborg go beyond the four walls of homes and search for solutions to the many challenges that arise from increasing urbanization.
In preparation for the 35-day exhibition, which will begin in summer 2022, venues are being established in and around the city.
All the positive aspects of urbanization face challenges such as density, inequality, isolation and contribution to climate change.
To find solutions to these changes and challenges, IKEA and the city of Helsingborg launched an initiative to make urban life healthier and more sustainable for citizens, society at large and the planet at large.
IKEA in Drottninghög helps create a vibrant urban agricultural market, with a focus on improving residents' skills and creating new jobs and businesses.
Starting this year, fresh plants will be grown in a place called "The Garden". The farm products are then processed into local dishes in the kitchen, and all are sold in the market.
Meanwhile, new retail, manufacturing and production routes are being stored in an abandoned warehouse in the port area for tourists to explore.
IKEA brings ideas to future families as new technologies shape the look and function of living spaces, and textile and printing technologies will evolve to encourage environmentally friendly manufacturing methods.
Fredriksdals' urban forest connects all aspects of the gallery and has been referring to the "Flat Local Urban Planning Project" since 1955.
IKEA uses sustainable materials and stand-alone energy and water systems to create an outdoor campsite.
Students from all over the world are invited to design new and affordable housing and furnishing solutions for the region.
To boost the development of the project, the prefab is launching a podcast series called The Oracle, in which residents share their stories about the city's future within a few hours of programming.
The H22 project represents IKEA's latest initiative to introduce greener policies.
The company previously promised to have a positive climate impact by 2030. The goal is to generate more renewable energy than its companies use by the end of 2019.
Due to waste and sustainability concerns, the company has also pledged to stop selling non-rechargeable alkaline batteries by October 2021.