With a new project in San Antonio, IKEA U.S. is jumping on the tiny home trend. According to Fast Company, the furniture retailer designed a tiny home for a supportive housing community in San Antonio. Partnering with architecture firm WestEast Design Group, IKEA used trauma-informed design tactics to create a safe, comfortable space for previously unhoused individuals.
The new community, built on a former drive-in theater site, will eventually include around 200 tiny homes, RVs, and apartments, specifically for seniors who have been homeless for more than a year and face disabilities. So far, about 70 residents have moved in, with more expected soon.
"We really wanted to challenge ourselves on how we could move away from the typical onetime donations that businesses or retailers usually do, and really try to work with communities in a more strategic way," says Samantha Eisenman, sustainability business partner at Ikea U.S.