A former Ikea store in the UK is set to undergo a major design revamp in order to become home to some of the country’s greatest works of art.
Following the closure of the building by a Swedish furniture maker in March last year, local politicians in Coventry, central England, are now considering purchasing the seven-story building with the hope of converting the structure into a new cultural facility. The new space could feature a variety of collections, according to a statement from Coventry City Council. The project would make for a “lasting physical, economic and cultural legacy,” added the council.
Coventry is the ‘UK City of Culture, 2021’, a designation given to a city for a period of one year to celebrate local culture through events, music, dance, theater, and performances. According to the statement by the Coventry City Council, the aim is to attract “some of the country’s greatest work of arts and provide greater public access to Coventry’s own cultural and heritage collections“.
The council is partnering with Arts Council England, which owns around 8,000 artworks by modern and contemporary British artists. The body loans the works out in order to reach the broadest possible audience, according to Coventry council documents.
Discussions over plans for the former Ikea store have been going on for months, according to the council. Councilors will vote on the plans coming February 23 of this year.
The council said the purchase and conversion of the building was a “multi-million-pound project“. A spokesman for the local authority told CNN that negotiations are ongoing pending approval from the council and did not provide a more specific figure for the cost of the project. Councilor David Welsh, the council’s cabinet member for housing and communities, in a statement, noted that the proposal to turn the building into an arts centre was a step in the right direction as it’s going to be a legacy if their plans follow through.
“This exciting and amazing proposal really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create something Coventry people can be rightly proud of as well as a national and international centre of excellence that will be a lasting legacy from our year as UK City of Culture”.
Councilor David Welsh
Jim O’Boyle, a councilor for the local authority, said many people were “disappointed” when the Ikea store closed, adding that the council was aiming to bring the “landmark building back into use as something special“.
Ikea closed down its only major downtown store in the United Kingdom after years of losses. The Ikea store was built in 2007 in the densest part of the city. It was built over seven floors due to lack of space. The unusual design pushed up operating costs and compromised the shopping experience, Ikea said in a statement last year.
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