tom dixon hacks ikea as latest collaboration vows to revolutionise the sofa

update: tom dixon‘s collaboration with IKEA has launched and is being rolled-out across europe stores from today, 1 february 2018. the release of DELAKTIG, comes alongside a furry fabric cover and a collection of modular elements allowing users to customise and ‘hack’ the furniture.

‘hack’ furry cover

swedish furniture giant IKEA‘s second collaboration with industrial designer dixon promises to revolutionise the concept of the sofa. DELAKTIG is an open source aluminium platform inviting customers to use a variation of elements to create their own furniture solution.

all images courtesy of IKEA unless stated otherwise

the DELAKTIG series has been created to forever harmonise with a world that is constantly evolving. it markets itself as having the perfect versatility, so much so it allows you to better face the unexpected events of daily life, ‘from an intense study before an exam to a blind date’. 

IKEA and dixon chose aluminium for its lightweight and resistant structure, favouring an industrial material perfectly suited to the efficiency of industrial production. during the design process, the base was conceived as a white canvas, obtained by extrusion and allowing for the possible insert of extra elements. with DELAKTIG, tom and IKEA set out to redefine the rules of traditional production in sofas and armchairs. aesthetics, affordable price, long life and democracy are at the forefront of their mission which for tom dixon gave him the opportunity to test himself in a wider field.

‘I wanted to work in lard-scale production, go beyond the normal with my industry and try something new’, dixon states. inspired by the ‘hacker community’ identified by dixon, the collaboration sought to create something that could be transformed by its users. the duo has designed accessories which can be added to the platform and combined in a myriad of ways to adapt to different tastes, activities and lifestyles. armrests, lamps, small tabled and back covers combine and configure to create a sofa perfectly suited to the individual and/or their family.

‘I wanted to explore this aspect. when I saw the ideas of the design students, I realised that there was a lot of potential and that our open source platform really works’, he continues. the word delaktig means ‘being involved’ in swedish, which is fundamentally what this range is about encouraging customers to be involved in how they want their product to look.

image courtesy of tom dixon

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