Ex-Works 25 with IKEA & the furniture industry

IKEA and Swedish furniture companies in network for the future of design

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The Museum of Furniture Studies continues to highlight design students and their work – now alongside IKEA and the furniture industry. The Ex-Works initiative brings together design students and companies in the sector, to make a concrete contribution to the development of the furniture culture of the future.

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In August 2024, when IKEA Älmhult AB acquired The Museum of Furniture Studies, it was already clear that the Ex-Works program would continue – a platform where students and businesses can meet and grow. The initiative, created by architects Kersti Sandin Bülow and Lars Bülow, aims to share knowledge, showcase student projects, and foster important meetings between young designers and industry players.

“We want to carry on the work that Kersti and Lars began. Ex-Works is a platform that creates opportunities for both students and companies in the furniture industry. It’s important to maintain knowledge and strengthen the profession, since design also drives development in general,” says Eva Lilja Löwenhielm, Global Co-head of Design at IKEA.

Johan Lindau, CEO of furniture manufacturer Blå Station as well as chairman in the steering group for furniture in The Swedish Federation of Wood and Furniture Industry, emphasises the industry’s need for fresh approaches and young talent:

“Ex-Works is a great opportunity for us in the industry to discover the designers of the future. It’s these kinds of meetings that give rise to innovative processes, and enable us to ensure a sustainable and exciting future for the Swedish furniture industry.”

In collaboration with The Swedish Federation of Wood and Furniture Industry, and with the active participation of some of Sweden’s most prominent design schools, the ambition is to create a strong, long-term sustainable platform to initiate meetings and highlight new designers, while also consolidating the future of the Swedish furniture industry.

The 2025 version, Ex-Works 25, opens on 4 June in Älmhult, which is now continuing movements towards a design destination. The exhibition will grow over time as students finish their projects. In August, representatives from the furniture industry will be invited to meet the students and see their work, and students will be able to forge contacts with companies in the sector. 

“The Museum of Furniture Studies’ ambition has always been to develop knowledge. We have not only created a design collection, but also a learning opportunity. Through Ex-Works, we have built a platform that focuses on exactly this – and on establishing a breeding ground to drive design and development forward,” says Kersti Sandin Bülow, professor of design and co-founder of The Museum of Furniture Studies.

Design schools that have been involved with Ex-Works in previous years are Beckmans College of Design, HDK Valand Academy of Art and Design, HDK Valand Campus Steneby, Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design, and Malmstens Linköping University. Since its inception, several student projects have been realised through the Ex-Works program.

As this year’s students exhibit their projects for Ex-Works 25 in Älmhult, The Museum of Furniture Studies will also be offering its first pop-up since the acquisition in August last year. In the same space as the Ex-Works 25 exhibition, the Classics & Icons exhibition will also be shown. Having previously appeared only in selection at Galleri Gemla in Stockholm, this will be the first time Classics & Icons is shown in its entirety. Both exhibitions open on 4 June in Älmhult.

The Museum of Furniture studies, represented by Eva Lilja Löwenhielm, Global Co-head of Design at IKEA, will also attend Stockholm Furniture Fair in a talk moderated by Lars Bülow, one of the museum’s founders.

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Mobile: +46 (0)732 32 13 00 
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For press images please visit:
https://www.mobeldesignmuseum.se/press

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About IKEA Älmhult AB:
IKEA Älmhult AB operates IKEA Museum, IKEA Hotell, Aktivitetshuset Älmhult and real estate company IKEA Property, and is part of Inter IKEA Group which also includes product development company IKEA of Sweden. The mission and ambition of IKEA Älmhult AB is to strengthen IKEA and Älmhult through development that creates a better place for the next generation. 

About The Museum of Furniture Studies:
The Museum of Furniture Studies was founded in 2017 by Swedish architects and designers Kersti Sandin and Lars Bülow. The main purpose of the museum is to inspire and educate students and young professionals in the fields of architecture, design and crafts. The collection consists of over 1,200 unique pieces of furniture and other design objects from more than 400 designers and architects worldwide. The Museum of Furniture Studies discontinued its public activities in 2022 and is planned to re-launch in Älmhult.