Hydroponic Technology And Controllable Lighting Are Central To IKEA And Tom Dixon’s Urban Farming Design

IKEA and Tom Dixon will explore the importance of sustainable growing, looking at the contrast of the hyper-natural and hyper-tech.

The garden, entitled “Gardening will Save the World” will feature exclusive prototypes of a new IKEA and Dixon range coming in 2021. Following Chelsea Flower Show, the garden will be donated to Participatory City, an innovative practical participation platform, that includes supporting greening and urban farming projects in Barking and Dagenham East London.

Exploring alternative, local and more sustainable ways of growing food is essential in our current climate. As a result, IKEA is collaborating with world-renowned designer Tom Dixon to explore how democratic design principles can be applied to urban farming. The first step of this project has been working on a garden with the Design Research Studio, the design and innovations studio at the heart of Tom Dixon for the exhibition at Chelsea Flower Show, named “Gardening will save the world”.

The garden will demonstrate how people can contribute to the movement of growing at home, and make a difference to reducing food waste, as well as broadcasting the beauty and functional importance of horticulture, through both traditional knowledge and the latest in growing innovation.

“‘As part of the Chelsea Flower Show, we have designed and realised an experimental model for growing plants in the urban environment. Aiming to give back to cities and create productive landscapes within urban zones, the garden includes a raised modular landscape with edible and medicinal plants and an enclosed based garden fuelled by hydroponic systems and controllable lighting” says Tom Dixon.

Exploring the contrast of the hyper-natural and hyper-tech to encourage an independent approach to growing, the garden will be split into two levels and feature over 4,000 plants. The garden’s base will be a horticultural laboratory where hydroponic technology is implemented, whilst the raised garden will be a botanic oasis with a natural aesthetic for visitors to immerse themselves in.

The exhibition will also offer an exclusive look during a media preview at some of the first prototypes of product ideas that Tom Dixon has designed on urban growing, which will be available globally at IKEA stores in 2021. This coming range is the second part of the project and collaboration between IKEA and Tom Dixon with the ambition to find affordable and sustainable solutions to grow plants and vegetables in our homes and urban environments.

“For IKEA, this project is about bringing attention to the future of the environment and the importance of growing food locally. We want to create smart solutions to encourage people and make it easier to grow plants themselves anywhere they can, whether that’s in their community garden, rooftop or in containers on balconies and window sills” says James Futcher, Creative Leader at IKEA Range and Supply.