Drömlägenheten: Dream Home

Drömlägenheten – Dream Home; is a research project designed to showcase the potential of a flexible universal dwelling concept. Developed in conjunction with developer Stångåstaden, this new housing typology can cater to the needs of all, at every stage of life.

Tomorrow's home, today

Most homes are still designed to a 1950’s ideal. What if you need a three-bed apartment one week, and a studio the next? The Drömlägenheten concept is based on a space with moveable walls that can easily divide into one-to-five rooms plus kitchen; suitable for singles or large families. The City of Linköping are keen to adapt their housing stock to better reflect the needs of current and future communities and have been instrumental in making this concept a reality. In 2017, the municipal property development company Stångåstaden will welcome its first guests into a Drömlägenheten dwelling.

Client: City of Linköping
Location: Linköping, Sweden
Status: Pilot concept completed 2017; project construction 2017
Area: 55 sqm
Visuals: Mats Ek, Ingrid Ehrnebo & Anton Almqvist.

Drömlägenheten was the most visited display at the 2017 community building exposition.

In the future, I am convinced that there will be more flexible solutions that respond to how families look and work today. We want to be able to offer good housing to all; it will be exciting to see how the apartment works in reality.

Mats Persson, Project Manager, Stångåstaden

Free to imagine

In-depth analysis of the needs of different user groups was conducted. This data was refined through workshops with selected end-users group and the Stångåstaden. As the end-users had no direct link to the project, they were free to imagine and relay their wishes for their dream home. A working pilot of Drömlägenheten was successfully tested and was the most visited display at the 2017 community building exposition, Bomässan i Linköping – Vallastaden.

Thanks to White Research Lab we got the proper time to really embrace the task and find the ultimate solution.

Susanne Klämfeldt, Project Architect

The first Drömlägenheten dwelling is being built within a six-storey Stångåstaden development in Vallastaden. As the apartment is part of a newly built house, the adaptations have been simple. Ceiling height and floor depth make room for the customisable parts of the apartment. They have been designed with ease of use in mind, so residents can change the layout according to their needs.

It made sense to experiment and create an apartment that works for different family situations. Drömlägenheten does this by challenging standard, outdated solutions through social and technical innovation.

Barbara Vogt, Architect

Drömlägenheten also explores new ways of achieving sustainable living. Instead of measuring energy usage per square metre, the focus shifts to measurement per capita. Through efficient and appropriate spatial planning and the selection of beautiful, durable materials, heating and maintenance costs can be greatly reduced. Some of the Drömlägenheten principles can even be applied to existing homes, depending on floor-to-ceiling heights.