IKEA, headquartered in Conshohocken, alongside WestEast Design Group & Social Impact Studio, has completed a 365 sq ft Small Home for Towne Twin Village, San Antonio’s first single-site permanent supportive housing project. 

The home, built using sustainable materials, embraces trauma-informed design (TID) principles to foster healing, minimize re-traumatization risks, and enhance well-being.

 “Our vision of creating a better everyday life for the many people goes beyond home furnishing,” said Sam Eisenman, Sustainability Business Partner at IKEA U.S. 

The initiative supports addressing root causes behind the U.S. affordable housing crisis.

The project leveraged insights from community focus groups and a model Small Home showcased at IKEA Live Oak, revealing preferences such as a combined shower/tub and flexible, multi-purpose furniture for hosting guests. These findings were instrumental in constructing the final design, ready for an upcoming resident.

IKEA’s commitment extends beyond this unit. The company has furnished three existing units at Towne Twin Village and gifted home items to all residents. Additionally, IKEA is launching TID pilot projects in Memphis, TN, and Washington, D.C., and training its co-workers on TID application in local projects.

The San Antonio IKEA at Live Oaklcelebrated the completion with a ribbon-cutting event last month. This project symbolizes IKEA’s dedication to holistic community support and pioneering sustainable, empathetic housing solutions.

Read more about the support efforts from IKEA on their official website.