IKEA’s SPACE10 Reimagines the Ideal City in This New Book

Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo Del Castillo
Inigo is a content writer at Apartment Therapy and previously for Lost At E Minor. A few years ago, he wrote an article about baby bats, which was so cute, Buzzfeed took a screenshot of the headline and cover image, then made a listicle about weird but adorable things. He…read more
updated Feb 5, 2021
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Yellow book titled "The Ideal City" hanging on a metal railing over a crosswalk.
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Credit: Anne-Sophie Rosenvinge/SPACE10

Because of the pandemic, everyone has had to rethink the way we live, work, and play in our shared home: the city. A new book from SPACE10 hopes to guide us during that process.

The book, called “The Ideal City,” explores the ways we can improve city living in a world threatened by climate change and the coronavirus. It asks: “What kind of cities do we want to live in? What do we believe is important for a good life? And what makes a good home for all of us?”

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Credit: Anne-Sophie Rosenvinge/SPACE10

Created by IKEA’s research and design lab SPACE10, it gathers input from a range of leading experts, including urban designer Jan Gehl, architect Bjarke Ingels, and transportation entrepreneur Robin Chase. It also includes organizations large and small, from the United Nations to a community-led policing program in the Kwanlin Dün First Nation in Canada.

In coming up with a holistic approach in reshaping our cities, the book cites innovative ideas in food and energy production, housing, and mobility, from 53 cities in 30 countries. It promises to not only teach its readers about the future of cities and humanity, but also promises to take them on a trip around the world.

If you’re planning to move anytime soon, SPACE10 also shows the principles that make a city ideal, giving readers a guide on what to consider before making that big decision. Those principles are resourcefulness, accessibility, shared (meaning having a sense of community), safety, and desirability.

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Credit: Anne-Sophie Rosenvinge/SPACE10

“Today, cities are not meeting the essential needs of a big portion of the people living there. Simultaneously, urban areas are the biggest driver of the climate crisis,” said Simon Caspersen, co-founder of SPACE10. 

He concluded: “With The Ideal City, we wanted to scour the world for inspiring chefs and ingredients, and bring them together in an aspirational cookbook for cities—stuffed with recipes on how to create a better home for humanity, while taking care of our planet.”

“The Ideal City” is available for pre-order, and will publish on March 30.

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