By Cindy Andersen
The main challenge for the placemaking industry in 2025 is to keep creating unique and meaningful experiences for the many people – spaces that are inclusive, sustainable, and bring communities together. It’s about finding the balance between staying locally relevant in each market we operate in and aligning with global goals.
We design spaces inspired by the needs and tastes of the local communities we serve, always with sustainability at the heart. But the real test is maintaining this hyper-local focus as we grow and explore new ways to connect people, foster creativity, and support work and play in these spaces. It’s about building environments that are both meaningful and sustainable. Creating spaces that unite communities and drive sustainability – locally rooted, globally impactful – this is the essence of our work, where we stay true to the local while thinking globally.
The global expansions we’ve made in 2024 have set the stage for exciting opportunities in the coming years. Acting as learning platforms to test out different experiences and services, as well as new technologies and digital integrations in creating experiences and connecting with the many people. Examples include One Planet, a platform offering more sustainable choices, plus a green points loyalty program rewarding sustainable habits and activities, showing how we can meet people in new places and empower them to live more sustainably. Reimagining experiences that empower people to live more sustainably – where innovation meets responsibility. We see this as a chance to scale ideas that have a lasting impact across our global portfolio.
We know people will continue to value meeting places as part of their everyday lives, seeking out physical spaces as life becomes increasingly digital. Looking ahead to the next 15 years, I’m excited to explore how we can evolve our meeting places to become more than just spaces to shop – but spaces for life, where people come together to share experiences, learn, create, and simply be. This transformation ensures that our spaces remain vibrant, meaningful, and truly connected to the communities we serve.
My recommendation for the industry is to meet people where they are and become part of their everyday lives. This means being hyper-local and highly adaptive, co-creating destinations that local communities genuinely value – spaces where people can grow, businesses can flourish, and communities can thrive. Co-create spaces that inspire, elevate, and truly belong to the communities we serve – today and tomorrow. By listening closely and collaborating openly, we can shape spaces that are not only relevant today but continue to inspire and uplift for generations to come.
Cindy Andersen
Cindy Andersen is Managing Director of Ingka Centres.
