FOJAB designs new housing concept

"Live a little less, get a lot more" is the theme of a brand new concept home that FOJAB is designing for Ikano Bostad. An urban neighborhood is being built in Malmö with strong sustainability credentials and an unusual wealth of social opportunities.

The concept is designed with the future of living in mind and is based on small private spaces paired with generously designed common rooms and shared services. It does not target a specific age group, but is aimed at anyone who is attracted to a sustainable, healthy and shared lifestyle.

- Much of our social life takes place at home. At the same time, housing is expensive. We have developed a form of housing for those who do not want to spend all the money on a large apartment, but still do not want to compromise on social interaction. It is a challenge to build small in Sweden because many rules are adapted to traditional housing," says Stefan Johansson, responsible architect at FOJAB.

In terms of construction, it provides sustainability benefits such as less material consumption and less heating. The concept also means that services such as cleaning, Wi-Fi, insurance, furniture and mobility are shared to a greater extent than in traditional forms of housing.

- We call our co-living concept FlexHem. It is a square footage smart living where we try to keep down both housing costs and climate impact through space-efficient, slightly smaller homes, smart sharing solutions, conscious material choices and several common areas. Community is an important part of the concept and it will be a more sustainable way of living," says Lotta Sjödin, strategic innovation and development manager at Ikano Bostad.

The block is being built in the Elinegård district of Malmö. The core of the building is a mobility building that will provide parking for many of the residents in the area. The mobility building is surrounded on three sides by housing, and the fourth has a facade of climbing greenery.

The apartments - both rental apartments and mixed condominiums - are efficiently planned and flexibly furnished. At the entrances, there is a lobby with social areas and a laundry lounge, and large, well-equipped kitchens on the roof. The roof terrace, which is designed to resemble a neighborhood park or square, has a greenhouse, places to socialize, grow and play, solar panels and other spaces that residents can book.

Design work will start in January 2022.