On what would have been Ingvar Kamprad's 100th birthday, the Kamprad Foundation has announced a major investment in elderly wellbeing across Småland. According to reports, the foundation is committing 150 million SEK to a project aimed at improving mobility for older residents in three municipalities.
The initiative, reportedly inspired by Kamprad himself, focuses on placing specially designed benches along walking routes in Växjö, Värnamo, and Emmaboda. The project aims to help elderly residents move more freely between important locations in their communities by providing resting places along the way.
The Kamprad Foundation is collaborating with the Arwidsson Foundation, researchers from the Royal Institute of Technology and Linnaeus University, and the three participating municipalities. Researchers will map walking routes near healthcare centers, shops, public transport, and social meeting places to determine optimal bench placement.
According to SVT Småland, the project addresses a common issue where many elderly people limit their movements due to lack of resting opportunities, making even short distances difficult to manage. Architecture students are already developing bench prototypes, which will be manufactured by local carpentry workshops in Småland.
The initiative marks the centenary of Kamprad's birth on March 30, 1926, in Älmhult, Småland. The late IKEA founder's legacy continues through foundation projects focused on community wellbeing.