HomeForOurPlanet: IKEA Spain and Guggenheim Bilbao Ignite Youth Innovation for Climate Solutions

HomeForOurPlanet: IKEA Spain and Guggenheim Bilbao Ignite Youth Innovation for Climate Solutions

(IN BRIEF) IKEA Spain, together with the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and Ingka Group, is launching the HomeForOurPlanet ideas competition across Spain, targeting young people between 18 and 35. This initiative is designed to mobilize innovative solutions to combat the climate crisis by focusing on sustainable changes that can start from the home. Participants are invited to submit a video proposal (up to three minutes long) detailing their ideas for reducing environmental damage or adapting to new climate conditions. The five most innovative submissions will win EUR 2,000 each and the chance to participate in Design Thinking workshops at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, where they will refine and present their proposals. The competition, which is part of a broader effort by IKEA Spain that includes partnerships with institutions like Disseny Hub Barcelona and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, emphasizes the importance of sustainability, cultural heritage, and innovative design in creating a more sustainable future. Applications are open until 17 March, with winners announced on 24 March and the final event scheduled for 12 May. The initiative underscores Ingka Group’s commitment to accelerating climate action through community empowerment and cross-sector collaboration.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEIDEN, the Netherlands, 18-Mar-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Ingka Group retailer, IKEA Spain, in collaboration with the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, is excited to announce the launch of a groundbreaking ideas competition across Spain, titled HomeForOurPlanet. This initiative is designed specifically for young people aged 18 to 35, with the aim of galvanizing a new generation to devise creative solutions to the pressing climate crisis.

Emphasizing the urgency of the climate challenge, Laura Durán, Business Development and Sustainability General Director at IKEA Spain, remarked, “The climate crisis is an undeniable reality that impacts our entire planet. At IKEA Spain, and across IKEA worldwide, our commitment to sustainability is unwavering. We firmly believe that there is still time to change course and take decisive action. With HomeForOurPlanet, we invite young innovators to share creative and original ideas that inspire real change against climate change, starting right from our homes.”

The competition calls on participants to submit a video, up to three minutes in length, outlining their proposal on how to reduce environmental damage or adapt to new climate conditions from within their homes. HomeForOurPlanet seeks innovative ideas that harness the potential of the domestic space as a starting point for combating climate change. The five entrants with the most original and impactful ideas will each be awarded EUR 2,000 and given the opportunity to participate in exclusive Design Thinking workshops held at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, where they will further develop and present their concepts to address climate challenges.

Lekha Hileman Waitoller, Curator of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao and a representative of the Gu-Zero group, added, “For a museum committed to reducing emissions and achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, participating in a project that invites the fresh perspectives of young people is both inspiring and essential. We are eager to hear innovative ideas that will help us reflect on and enhance our planet’s future.”

The competition’s application window will remain open until 17 March, with the five winners set to be announced on 24 March. The project will culminate in a final event on Monday, 12 May at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, where a multidisciplinary panel comprising specialists from IKEA Spain, museum representatives, and independent experts will reveal the winning concept.

In the subsequent phase, the selected winners will collaborate with design and environmental science students from schools in the Basque Country. Guided by a strategic consultancy firm in a series of Design Thinking workshops held during the second week of May at the museum, participants will work in teams to refine their projects aimed at addressing the climate emergency from the comfort of homes and other living environments.

HomeForOurPlanet is part of a broader initiative by IKEA Spain, which has partnered with prestigious institutions such as Disseny Hub Barcelona and the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum in Madrid throughout the year. These collaborations have explored the evolution of the home from the 15th to the 20th century, culminating in immersive experiences that reveal IKEA’s rich history and the essence of its democratic design philosophy.

As the largest IKEA retailer in 31 countries, Ingka Group, along with its cross-sector partners, is dedicated to accelerating climate action. By championing sustainability and influencing the private sector and governments, they aim to create a positive impact that involves and empowers people across the globe.

For more information, please visit IKEA Spain’s website or refer to the official press releases on Ingka Group’s platforms.