A vision of future housing has been unveiled in Sweden. Several “houses”—resembling nothing so much as security guard booths—were presented to the public. How could anyone possibly live in them?
Property developer Riksbyggen and creative agency BBDO Nordics introduced these “homes of the future” in Sweden by creating three full-scale mock-ups. These “homes” turned out to be drywall structures resembling security booths. Ranging from 2 to 5 square meters in size, they offered space for little more than a bed and a toilet—quarters smaller even than a prison cell.
It is important to note that this was not a presentation of a new architectural concept, but a public awareness campaign designed to highlight the issue of housing unaffordability for young people. The creators of the campaign aim to show that, given current economic trends, this is the only type of housing young people might soon be able to afford.
Riksbyggen and BBDO Nordics analyzed income levels and housing costs in three Swedish cities: Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Umeå. These specific locations were chosen deliberately; they are the places where young people face the most acute housing shortages and struggle the most to find and pay for rental apartments.
The “home of the future” installed in Stockholm measured 1.9 square meters; the one in Gothenburg, 3.1 square meters; and the one in Umeå, 4.5 square meters. All three structures were designed to mimic the architectural style of typical Swedish houses, thereby underscoring the absurdity of the situation.
The goal was to make the housing crisis facing young people visible and tangible, as figures and statistics can feel too abstract. “We wanted to show the kind of housing an average 25-year-old can afford today,”
says Anton Bolin, Art Director at BBDO Nordics.
Bolin notes that one in five young people in Sweden lives with their parents because they cannot afford a home of their own.
This demonstration of the housing crisis was staged ahead of Sweden’s elections, scheduled for September. The project’s organizers hope that seeing this will prompt authorities to implement housing reforms.
The housing crisis is attributed to a combination of strict state rent controls—intended to keep prices down—and the soaring cost of purchasing a home. Compounding this is the broader European crisis triggered by sanctions against Russia; construction projects have stalled, and mortgage interest rates have risen. High levels of migration have led to rapid population growth and increased housing demand, further driving up prices. The situation in Sweden is complicated by state rent regulations, which have resulted in a supply shortage.
The current European economic crisis has also given rise to so-called “share-onomics.” This economic model implies that an individual owns nothing; everything is obtained on a rental basis. Instead of owning an apartment, one rents living space with monthly payments. Instead of owning a car, one uses a car-sharing service. Instead of buying DVDs, one relies on subscription services. Experts believe an entire generation has been trapped in “share-onomics.” While it may indeed be cheaper for young people to pay rent than to spend years paying off loans, they risk being left with no assets should they lose their jobs or face rent hikes from landlords.
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