IKEA works in collaboration with national charity partner Shelter to convert four showrooms to Real Life Roomsets in order to bring awareness to the housing emergency in the UK. The spaces are designed to highlight the cramped spaces and possibly dangerous living environments that are real to some. The under-hauls are seen located in the Warrington, Hammersmith, Bristol, and Birmingham stores.
The sets on display reflect the unpredictable reality of people including Kate, who is a nurse and teacher who fell homeless after losing her job during the pandemic. She recounts that It’s like a nightmare we can’t wake up from,” noting a moment when someone set her tent on fire, which caused her and her daughter to move into an unsafe and unsanitary room.
Image Credit: IKEA UK & Ireland
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Real Life Roomsets
- Creating real-life roomsets to highlight cramped spaces and dangerous living environments can disrupt the way people view affordable housing.
- Housing Emergency Awareness
- Campaigns that increase awareness of the UK housing emergency can disrupt traditional perceptions of homelessness and stimulate new solutions.
- Collaborative Partnerships
- Collaborative partnerships between corporations and non-profits can disrupt society's dependence on government solutions for housing issues.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Interior Design Retail
- Interior design retail companies can disrupt their industry by focusing campaigns on designing affordable and functional housing solutions.
- Charitable Organizations
- Charitable organizations can disrupt traditional fundraising by partnering with corporations to create awareness campaigns such as this one around housing emergencies.
- Real Estate Investment
- Real estate investment companies can disrupt their industry by investing in affordable housing solutions and working directly with non-profits like Shelter to ensure safe and sanitary living environments.
