To launch Future Innovation Lab.
IKEA and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) have announced an innovative collaboration, launching the Future Living Lab, a first for IKEA Australia.
Located at the UTS campus in Ultimo, Sydney, the lab will explore new design approaches and smart technologies intended to find solutions for the changing demands in the homes of today and tomorrow.
The project will bring IKEA expertise, academics and students from the UTS Interior Architecture and Product Design programs as well as designers, design organisations and the community together to generate new ideas to produce prototypes, exhibitions and events.
The lab’s research on the nature of domestic spaces will give IKEA insight into the specific conditions that exist within Australia. In turn, UTS design students will work with IKEA designers to transform future living concepts and ecosystems into more sustainable lifestyles. Through this dialogue, the lab will investigate the future of Australian living spaces spatially, atmospherically and digitally.
IKEA Australia country manager, Jan Gardberg said: “As a company, we are firm believers that great ideas can come from anywhere and anyone and collaboration is the best tool to drive innovation on a global scale. We are excited to be working with UTS, the leading Design school in NSW, to see how young Australians approach design today.”
As part of the program’s inaugural year, design students will have the opportunity to travel to IKEA headquarters in Sweden to gain firsthand experience and understanding of business and production processes, from design conception to the retail floor.
The launch of the innovation lab follows earlier collaborations between IKEA and the UTS School of Design.