re:arc institute

The re:arc institute is a non-profit, philanthropic association founded in 2022 and based in Copenhagen, Denmark, with operations that extend globally. The institute is funded by the Inter IKEA Foundation (also described as the Interogo Foundation, the owner of IKEA), and was established by Carla Cammilla Hjort, best known for co-founding the research and design lab SPACE10. The organization’s international team is distributed across Copenhagen, New York, and Amsterdam. re:arc focuses on the intersection of climate action and architecture, supporting community-led solutions that address both the causes and consequences of climate breakdown. Its funding mechanisms include three primary models: Grants, which support community-based architectural initiatives; the Practice Lab, a hands-on space for carrying out built projects with architects and practitioners; and Public Discourse, which empowers educators and advocates to develop new narratives connecting climate action, design, and societal transformation. The institute prioritizes innovative, hyper-local projects, especially those led by women, youth, and people from the global majority. In 2024, it is backing almost 40 projects across continents, including neighborhood kitchens, urban farms, archives of community memory, and experiments with collective ownership models. An early flagship initiative funded by re:arc is Væksthuset ('The Greenhouse'), a community space in Copenhagen built using upcycled materials, signaling the institute’s emphasis on tangible, low-carbon solutions. re:arc’s activities are structured to influence both the practice and perception of architecture in fostering resilience and equity within communities facing climate-driven challenges.