Helsingborg, a coastal town in southern Sweden, will start a collaboration with a famous furniture brand. The aim: to explore solutions to the challenges of urbanisation and to make life easier for everyone, everywhere, all the time.

Helsingborg 2022

Recently designated by the European Commission as one of the most innovative cities in Europe, the municipality of Helsingborg has just launched a project (code name H22, for Helsingborg 2022) aimed at developing innovative solutions to co-create the sustainable city of the future. This project is being carried out with the IKEA brand: “We will use the full potential of our business model and adopt a radically different way of thinking”, said Marcus Engman, Creative Director of the Swedish manufacturer. By 2022, we want to present real solutions for cities that are sustainable, affordable, and practical for people, planet and society.“ 

Combining economy and ecology

The sustainability of H22 will focus on several aspects of city life. On the garden side, it will promote urban agriculture. The port area will become a laboratory for innovative ideas, to encourage citizens to recycle their textile products. As for the local forest, it will host experiments in sustainable housing. But these are only the first examples of a giant brainstorming which is only just starting, since all the ideas will be developed and tested in collaboration with the citizens. 

H22 illustrates IKEA’s commitment to sustainability and circular principles: second-hand stores, elimination of single-use plastic, emissions-free home deliveries by 2025, reduction of the climate footprint by 70% in average per product before 2030…

The company understands that economic benefits must go hand in hand with an ecological vision. In this way, Helsingborg could become an incubator of technological and social innovation, in which policy makers and companies will strive to increase consumer participation in circular and sustainable practices. 

Tags: H22, Helsingborg, Ikea, sustainability, Sweden