In a country where months of winter darkness have turned sun-seeking into a national pastime, IKEA has answered a question Swedes have debated for generations: where does the sun actually shine the most?
Rather than running a conventional outdoor furniture campaign, the brand has pinpointed the single sunniest square meter in Sweden and marked it with a permanent monument: two oversized granite armchairs inspired by its SKARPÖ outdoor chair.
How they found the spot
The location, on southern Gotland off Sweden’s east coast, was determined using two decades of solar data analyzed with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI).
Between 2005 and 2025, the winning spot averaged 2,137 sunshine hours per year — meaning nearly a quarter of all hours throughout the year were sunny.
To narrow down from an area to the exact square meter, IKEA worked with architect and topographic adviser Erik Gardell to analyze local conditions including elevation, slope, exposure, and shadowing. This allowed the team to pinpoint the precise point where sunlight has historically had the greatest opportunity to reach the ground for the highest number of hours.
A permanent monument
The installation features two stone armchairs designed by Magnus Elebäck, resembling IKEA’s own SKARPÖ outdoor chairs on a monumental scale. Located on farmland southwest of Burgsvik on Gotland, the site is intended to become a new Swedish summer destination — a place where sun-seeking visitors can make the journey and experience the country’s sunniest spot for themselves.
“As the seasons change, so do the ways we live. When the sunlight and warmth return after winter, people across Sweden move outdoors,” said Linda Vikström, Communications Manager at IKEA Sweden. “Identifying and marking Sweden’s sunniest square meter is part of that ambition.”
Democratic design, applied to a place
The campaign, developed with agency NoA Åkestam Holst, extends IKEA’s philosophy of democratic design beyond products and into physical space. The brand has previously used similar playful, insight-driven activations — including a GPS-controlled mirror that reflects sunlight onto shaded café seating in Stockholm.
The monument was developed in collaboration with Kultursten Norden as quality contractor, Roma Grus, and local landowner Fredrik Albers.
For Swedes emerging from long winters, the campaign taps into a universally relatable truth: the race to claim the best sunny spot. IKEA has now marked the winner — and invited everyone to visit.
