The IKEA Foundation supports students at the Kunsthochschule Kassel with financial grants for their final-year projects.
Design students at the Kunsthochschule Kassel receive grants from the IKEA Foundation for their final-year projects. In the summer term of 2026, five grants were awarded to students, with a further grant added in the autumn of 2026. Each grant amounts to 3,000 euros and is paid out over six months at a rate of 500 euros per month.
The funded projects address various issues relating to product design, sustainability, inclusion and the design of public spaces, thereby demonstrating the breadth of the degree programme in Kassel. These are the selected scholarship recipients and their projects:
Viola Sommerfeld: „In Bewegung“
Sommerfeld’s project develops a child-friendly mobility aid for children with motor impairments. The focus is on how therapeutic functionality and emotionally accessible design can work together so that the walking aid is perceived as a natural part of everyday life.
Jonas Hohmann: „Materialkreisläufe & Produktzyklen – Entwurfsarbeit mit dem Fokus auf das Kombinieren, Zerlegen und Reparieren“
In his dissertation, Hohmann examines how design methods can extend the lifespan of products – through separable material composites as well as through design that fosters an emotional connection to objects.
Till Ihrig: “Latrine”
“Latrine” addresses the issue of unequal access to public toilets. His approach: a squat toilet as a gender-neutral, touch-free alternative that makes sanitary infrastructure more inclusive and equitable.
Lars Hanhardt: „Ansätze für eine haptikfokussierte Bedienung im Zeitalter des Touch-Interfaces“
In his dissertation, Hanhardt asks what is lost when physical controls are replaced by digital interfaces. The aim is to develop a repertoire of haptic design strategies for a more intuitive, physically experiential way of using everyday products.
Giulio Pizzo: „Kollektion von Wohnobjekten – Reparatur als Gestaltungswerkzeug – Förderung von Selbstwirksamkeit im Umgang mit Objekten“
In his final dissertation, Pizzo conceives of repair as an active act of design that enhances objects and fosters a sense of connection – and, building on this, develops a collection of home objects that embodies this principle.
In addition, Julia Bruinier was also awarded an IKEA scholarship in autumn 2026. Her work, „Gestaltung gegen Hitze“, explores how urban heat islands can be reduced and prevented. The focus is on a resource-efficient concept for public spaces that addresses the increasing heat stress and accessibility issues during summer heatwaves.
Scholarships from the IKEA Foundation
Each semester, the IKEA Foundation supports students who address socially relevant issues in their final-year projects and seek creative solutions. Support is provided to young designers and architects who think beyond their discipline: How can equitable access to public space be created? How can products be designed so that people maintain, repair and continue to use them? How can design make inclusion visible and a matter of course?
Further information:
ikeastiftung.de