What if Ikea Built Houses
sketch
Text by
29 May, 2023
Sasha Kremenets
Chagrin Falls, USA
29 May, 2023
Sasha Kremenets
Chagrin Falls, USA
Anima Allegra* is a house manufacturing workshop based in the IKEA store in London. The research project is developed by London-based architectural designer Polina Morova and acts against IKEA's approach of "democratising" design and gamifying capitalist ideas. Integrated into an existing building, Anima Allegra provides facilities for community members to design, build and prototype their new homes. It explores the alternative way of building a house and making it more participatory.
* a Cheerful Soul (it.)
The name is inspired by a unique program of new-wave clowning, a synthesis of pantomime, dance, acrobatics and juggling.
* a Cheerful Soul (it.)
The name is inspired by a unique program of new-wave clowning, a synthesis of pantomime, dance, acrobatics and juggling.
There are 3 main components of the project: the House, the Intervention, and the Test Site. Together, they establish Anima Allegra as an idea that encourages people to think more about design and illustrates how energy and time-consuming good design is.
By integrating community members into all design stages: planning, building, and testing, it would be possible to interrogate the uniqueness of their preferences and share control over the process with the user. Unlike IKEA, Anima Allegra not only makes design accessible, but thought-provoking. It seeks to broaden one's perception of how they could or should live in their house.
By integrating community members into all design stages: planning, building, and testing, it would be possible to interrogate the uniqueness of their preferences and share control over the process with the user. Unlike IKEA, Anima Allegra not only makes design accessible, but thought-provoking. It seeks to broaden one's perception of how they could or should live in their house.
What is it?
Anima Allegra is a community-driven house manufacturing workshop which operates within an existing IKEA store. The project is challenging IKEA's approach of "democratising" design and gamifying capitalist ideas. Moreover, it pushes a community-driven design by facilitating the process of designing and building a house.
Anima Allegra is a community-driven house manufacturing workshop which operates within an existing IKEA store. The project is challenging IKEA's approach of "democratising" design and gamifying capitalist ideas. Moreover, it pushes a community-driven design by facilitating the process of designing and building a house.
How does it work?
The Intervention.
Integrated into an existing building, the workshop provides facilities for community members to design, build and prototype their new home. On the base of the workshop, users are designing and prototyping the elements of their house, such as integrated furniture, shutters and facade solutions.
The Intervention.
Integrated into an existing building, the workshop provides facilities for community members to design, build and prototype their new home. On the base of the workshop, users are designing and prototyping the elements of their house, such as integrated furniture, shutters and facade solutions.
The House.
E House is designed to be modular with fixed external parameters, but future residents are encouraged to experiment and test the ways to discover their desires when it comes to their homes.
E House is designed to be modular with fixed external parameters, but future residents are encouraged to experiment and test the ways to discover their desires when it comes to their homes.
The Test site.
Anima Allegra Community Living is the Test site for E Houses. Built on stilts, the houses are floating above the common green land that is shared by the residents. In this location, it is possible to test not only the life in the house itself but the different ways of communal living arrangements, whether for a group of friends or a misanthrope.
Anima Allegra Community Living is the Test site for E Houses. Built on stilts, the houses are floating above the common green land that is shared by the residents. In this location, it is possible to test not only the life in the house itself but the different ways of communal living arrangements, whether for a group of friends or a misanthrope.
Why is it?
Together, these parts establish Anima Allegra as an idea that calls people to invest more time and effort in good design. It seeks to broaden one's perception of how they could or should live in their house. It truly seeks to democratise design by not merely making it accessible but also making it thought-provoking.
Together, these parts establish Anima Allegra as an idea that calls people to invest more time and effort in good design. It seeks to broaden one's perception of how they could or should live in their house. It truly seeks to democratise design by not merely making it accessible but also making it thought-provoking.
Text by
29 May, 2023
Sasha Kremenets
Chagrin Falls, USA
29 May, 2023
Sasha Kremenets
Chagrin Falls, USA
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