Our homes are filled with objects and furniture that we often discard because they are broken, old, or simply because we have grown bored of them. But what if we were to consider our furniture more like entities within a natural ecosystem—something that can heal, possess agency, and even evolve over time? As part of Everyday Experiment, a collection of future experiments for IKEA and Space10, we have crafted a future collection of furniture, imbued with an evolutionary twist.

Updatables are a novel category of furniture that bestows agency and personality upon traditionally inanimate objects, enabling them to alert you when they require repair or enhancement. This furniture collection is designed using genetic algorithms, fostering recycling and sustainability through a process akin to natural evolution.

Imagine if your old table could request new legs, or your armchair could desire a fancy reading light add-on. As unusual as this may sound, this could be our future, coexisting with eccentric sofas and tables in our kitchens and living rooms.

Updatables are not merely simple material combinations but rather full-fledged evolutions of existing IKEA furniture. New elements are generated using a genetic algorithm, iteratively adding and swapping existing IKEA parts to create fresh combinations across multiple generations. Each Updatable is, in fact, unique - possessing its own name, story, and family tree. We firmly believe that by expanding the secondary market, we can enhance circular loops and, ultimately, promote sustainable practices.