Set in Älmhult, the birthplace of IKEA, this project reinterprets a former IKEA warehouse as the new Museum of Furniture Studies as an evolving space where design history meets contemporary practice. Designed by Cobe, the transformation moves beyond simple adaptive reuse, turning the industrial warehouse into an open, public-facing cultural destination that brings together contemporary design, exhibitions, and learning spaces.
A Precise Transformation Rooted in Industrial Heritage
By retaining the building’s raw framework and introducing carefully considered interventions, the project creates a setting that supports exhibitions, learning, and experimentation, positioning furniture design as heritage and a living, forward-looking discipline. Instead of replacing the structure, the project focuses on a “precise transformation,” preserving the building’s existing steel frame, roof trusses, and concrete flooring to maintain its industrial character while preparing it for public use
Opening the Warehouse to Light, People, and Design
The intervention introduces subtle yet impactful architectural changes to shift the warehouse from a closed storage facility into an inviting cultural destination. Large windows will be inserted into the façade, allowing natural light to enter and creating a stronger connection between the interior and its surroundings. Inside, a new timber structure will define the space, adding a mezzanine level along with smaller, more intimate rooms within the expansive volume.
This layered approach balances openness with functionality, allowing the museum to accommodate exhibitions, workshops, and collaborative design activities while retaining the raw spatial quality of the original building.
A Dynamic Platform for Past, Present, and Future Design
Envisioned as more than a museum, the space will function as a living platform for designers, researchers, and the public. The ground floor will host exhibition areas and hands-on learning spaces, encouraging interaction with furniture design processes. Above, the mezzanine will display an open collection of over 800 design objects, offering direct access to both historic pieces and contemporary works.
At the core of the building, a dramatic double-height “canyon” will anchor the layout, serving as a central gallery for temporary exhibitions. By bringing together archival knowledge, current practices, and future experimentation, the Museum of Furniture Studies by IKEA establishes itself as a cultural hub where design evolves in real time.
Danish studio Cobe has been chosen for a “precise transformation” that will see an old IKEA warehouse in Älmhult, Sweden, turned into a furniture museum and platform for historic and contemporary design.
