Defining a place and build on heritage
Pär Gustafsson
Building a Place Position Through Heritage, Design and Brand Ecosystems
How can a small place take a clear position internationally?
And how can heritage become a driver for future growth, innovation and attraction?
In this session, Pär Gustafsson shares the story of how IKEA and Älmhult are working together to strengthen the town’s position as a growing international design destination.
What started as the birthplace of IKEA is now evolving into something larger: a place where design, innovation, entrepreneurship, culture, hospitality and education connect under a shared narrative and identity. Through initiatives such as IKEA Museum, IKEA Hotell, Home of the Home Lab, and the establishment of the Museum of Furniture Studies, Älmhult is actively building an ecosystem that attracts visitors, creatives, startups, students and businesses from around the world.
The session explores questions highly relevant for many cities and regions today:
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How do you move from being “known for something” to taking a clear strategic position?
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How can heritage become a platform for innovation rather than nostalgia?
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How do you create an umbrella story that other actors want to be part of?
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What role do culture, design and experience play in business attraction and talent attraction?
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And how can municipalities and global companies collaborate to strengthen both the place and the brand?
Expect a practical and reflective conversation about place positioning, ecosystem thinking, collaboration, and the power of building attraction around something authentic and deeply rooted in place identity.
This Session is held in partnership with Arctic Design Centre. It is funded by EU means.
More About Pär Gustafsson
Pär Gustafsson is Destination & Museum Manager at IKEA Älmhult AB, where he works at the intersection of destination development, culture, hospitality, design, and brand experience. He leads initiatives connected to IKEA Museum and the Museum of Furniture Studies (to be opened), and has the broader ambition of positioning Älmhult as an internationally recognised design destination.
His work focuses on how places can build long-term attractiveness by activating their heritage, identity, and values — not only for visitors, but also for talents, entrepreneurs, creatives, and businesses. Under his leadership, IKEA Älmhult has expanded its cultural and destination ambitions through collaborations, exhibitions, design initiatives, and the development of the new Museum of Furniture Studies in Älmhult.
Pär brings a practical perspective on how a globally recognised brand and a small municipality can work together to strengthen place identity, create relevance far beyond their size, and attract new ecosystems of people, ideas, and investment.
