The concept of home is being consistently reshaped by economic and technological forces in cities around the world. Unaffordable prices, the spread of connected devices and the sharing economy are creating a new way of living – one that is more nomadic, more productive and less private. Organised in partnership with the Design Museum in London, the exhibition Home Futures explores the radical domestic visions of the 20th century and asks: what happened to the future?
The exhibition compares twentieth-century prototypes with the latest innovations in domestic living to question whether yesterday’s fantasies have become today’s reality
“If we let go of the idea that a home is a roof over our heads, and let our minds wonder, then what is a home? At IKEA Museum we are curious about the future of a home. We are proud to be teaming up with the Design Museum in London for this exhibition, and to make it available to more of the many people”, says Jutta Viheria, Exhibition manager at IKEA Museum.
“Home Futures is a rich and timely exhibition that explores how the contemporary idea of home was prefigured by radical architects and designers in the 20th century. Bringing together avant-garde visions with today’s everyday reality, it questions whether there are any new ideas for how we should live in the early 21st century. We are delighted to be partnering with the IKEA Democratic Design Museum on the exhibition. No one is more invested in this topic than IKEA, and no one has a greater influence on the average household”, says Justin McGuirk, chief curator at the Design Museum in London.
Through more than 200 objects and experiences Home Futures traces the key social and technological aspirations that have driven change in the home. Historical notions of the mechanised home and the compact home are displayed alongside contemporary phenomena such as connected devices and the sharing economy.
The exhibition includes important works by Ettore Sottsass, Joe Colombo, Superstudio, Archigram, Alison and Peter Smithson, Hans Hollein, Jan Kaplicky, OMA and Dunne & Raby.
The collaboration with the Design Museum in London is the first of many where IKEA Museum is on a journey towards becoming IKEA Democratic Design Museum. The ambition of the IKEA Democratic Design Museum is to showcase unexpected and outstanding exhibitions through collaborations with other Design Museums, as well as being an inspiring and creative meeting place where people in all ages can learn, meet and interact.
Find out more about IKEA Museum: www.ikeamuseum.com
Find out more about Design the Museum in London: http://designmuseum.org/
