Danish architecture studio Cobe has been selected to transform an old IKEA warehouse in Älmhult, Sweden, into the Museum of Furniture Studies — a new hub for historic and contemporary furniture design.
The museum, previously located in Stockholm and recently acquired by IKEA, will now reside in a building that retains its original steel frame, roof trusses, and concrete floor. Cobe's design adds three large windows to open up the facade, and inserts a timber structure that creates a mezzanine level and smaller rooms within the vast space.
"We approached the project as a precise transformation, working with what was already there rather than replacing it," said Cobe founder Dan Stubbergaard. "By keeping the industrial frame, opening the facade, and inserting a new timber structure, we shift the building from closed storage to public space."
The ground floor will feature learning spaces, exhibition areas, and workshops, while the mezzanine will house an open collection of over 800 unique design objects. A double-height central "canyon" will host temporary exhibitions.
"This museum will offer something new — a place where furniture design history, the contemporary scene, and future generations will meet under the same roof," said Jonatan Jahn, head of collection at the Museum of Furniture Studies.
Set to open in early February 2027, the museum promises to be a must-visit for design enthusiasts.
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