IKEA Oxford Street

Located in a Grade II listed building on Oxford Street, this prominent IKEA store is the biggest new arrival at London’s famous shopping destination.

Reimagining the traditional concept of the consumer experience, the new metropolitan IKEA meeting point transforms the customer journey and transcends the stereotypical notions of a retail environment.

An eye-catching LED window display entices people of every age to join the hive of activity inside, where an immersive live studio, digital hub and interactive events await.

This ambitious and pioneering project exemplifies the impactful role of innovative technology in revolutionising the retail sector to engage new audiences.

IKEA’s Oxford Street store is the brand’s first ever meeting point to house a dedicated immersive experience – shifting the retail experience both operationally and holistically. State-of-the-art technology instantly delivers a ‘wow-factor’ from first glance of the shop’s facade, through to the multi-faceted live studio that ‘Immerses’ consumers and hosts ‘Takeovers’ as part of their events programme. Initially envisaged as a broadcast-focused platform, d&b solutions worked alongside IKEA to develop a hybrid environment that widened the potential scope exponentially.

In the live studio space, guest speakers are equipped with the Shure ULX‑D wireless microphone system, ensuring crystal‑clear vocal clarity and reliable performance throughout every session. Their delivery is supported by a Samsung 55” confidence monitor, positioned to provide seamless visual cues and allow presenters to engage naturally with audiences without breaking flow.

The entire audio environment is enriched by d&b audiotechnik 8S loudspeakers, which deliver a balanced blend of live speech, ambient background music and immersive themed soundscapes. Together, this combination of high‑quality audio and visual technology creates a professional, responsive and fully immersive setting that enhances both the presenter’s experience and the audience’s connection to each live event.

Four LED window displays seamlessly blend digital storytelling and architectural innovation; with output media showcased independently or as a single combined canvas for maximum flexibility. The top window panels feature two CREATE LED air media 3.9mm displays, with two NEXNOVO transparent 3.7mm LED displays situated below, offering visibility to the outside high street.

IKEA products can be strategically positioned behind the transparent window displays, where promotional digital captions optimise sales opportunities. Run by NEXNOVO processing and driven by a QLab media server, different content and playlists can be cued in and triggered at specific times. To ensure luminance levels remain within Oxford Street’s tolerance levels, light emissions are recorded from each LED window, with levels adjusted accordingly throughout the day.

Descending to the ground floor, customers are captivated by the 25m² live event studio, which offers a multi-purpose arena and creative backdrop. The main wall configuration is formed from three 4m high walls, with an additional 5m extension panel scaling the lift shaft. Content can be adaptively themed to specific events and workshops, with the main wall acting as a single canvas or separate modular displays.

Live video recordings are routed to the store front’s LED windows using AV-over-IP, revealing the events hosted within. Using video mixer, IKEA’s operator can choreograph a compilation of content for broadcasting in the shop windows or online streaming platforms.

Collaborating with longstanding partners Samsung, 197 Samsung IWA virtual production 1.6 LED tiles were integrated. Delivering stunning visuals, the fine pixel pitch combats moiré on screen for superior quality during up-close filming. As the backbone of the system, Disguise VX4+ media server manages mapping and pre-rendered content to the LED walls, with adjustable low-profile Martin MAC One lights to enhance the stage area ambience.

Utilising Gaussian Splatting technology, d&b solutions developed pre-visualisations of the studio space to help facilitate key design decisions surrounding the appearance of scenic fixtures and fittings. Deriving from photographs taken within IKEA’s space, the 3D model based upon a Gaussian Splat delivered a rich, high quality, accurate and realistic rendition of the space in Unreal Engine.

This time saving approach, enabled creative experimentation and quick demonstrations of different materials, surfaces and layouts within the context of the space, allowing the client to understand the impact of these different options. The clarity delivered by this ‘shared vision’ provided a valuable communication tool that dramatically simplified the selection process, also enabling cost-effective choices. Furthermore, this fly-through presented a complete overview and clearer viewpoint of the customer journey, when descending the escalator into the live studio.

A dedicated space under the escalator houses studio racks and control equipment creating a centralised hub for IKEA’s in-house technical team to manage the full range of AV systems efficiently, with an additional iPad connected to the QSC control interface for quick and easy operation. From start to finish, d&b solutions’ technical partnership helped to develop a multi-functional space that can adapt and evolve harmoniously with IKEA’s ongoing visionary journey.

Two fixed Panasonic UE-160 mounted PTZ cameras capture dual aspect imagery of the stage performance and audience reaction. Optimised for higher resolution imagery, RED Komodo 6K cinematic camera with zoom lens and global shutter records the entire production. Utilising all three depth cameras, Stage Precision tracks customers entering the studio boundaries, compiling marketing analytics that pinpoint footfall during certain times of the day, allowing IKEA to gauge popularity and adapt their events programme according to customer behaviour. With future contingencies in mind, this software is capable of triggering on-screen reactions based on spatial calibration and a sequence of pre-determined variables to play content for specific audience sizes.

As IKEA’s events platform evolves, Stage Precision offers an invaluable tool for supporting this growth, adapting and broadening the capabilities based on trends and marketing analytics. Utilising depth sensors and render clusters, the stage area can be reinterpreted to perform different actions and tailor audience encounters – bending the parameters of how the space can perform for greater engagement.

At the heart of the interactive ‘Immerse’ visual playlists is ‘Skogen’, which transports visitors to the magical Swedish woodland where IKEA began. The studio’s scenery with forest soundscape creates a child friendly setting, where tables and chairs invite younger audiences to participate in ‘sketch and scan’ activities where animal outlines are coloured on A4 paper then scanned in to custom-built units. Their 2D artwork is converted to 3D renditions using nDisplay rendering within Unreal Engine, before appearing as a moving animation on the LED screen.

These transportable units, with power and data connectivity, can connect to the screen then be conveniently stored away when not in use. By combining setworks, furniture and ‘Sketch & Scan’ activities, the space captivates both children and adults alike. Families can share experiences together, strengthening community through social, open and engaging environments.

Due to the building’s listed status, strict limitations on attachment points significantly influenced the installation strategy, making the protection of the original marble window surrounds an absolute priority. To navigate these constraints, d&b solutions carried out multiple detailed site surveys, collecting the critical structural and spatial data needed to engineer an alternative approach. This process led to the design, procurement and installation of a bespoke, robust aluminium profile system tailored specifically to reinforce and support the LED window displays without compromising the fabric of the heritage façade.

Although the team has extensive experience delivering projects within historic and architecturally sensitive environments, this was the first instance requiring the integration of LED window technology into a protected marble frontage. Drawing on years of technical expertise, d&b solutions successfully engineered a custom solution that not only complied with stringent conservation requirements but also enabled the striking, contemporary shopfront to be realised in full, resulting in a façade that is both respectful of its heritage and visually compelling.

Complicating matters further, unforeseen building delays introduced significant challenges beyond the team’s control. However, d&b solutions maintained a solutions‑focused mindset throughout the highly complex technical delivery.

Leveraging the company’s brand‑new rack‑build facilities at the Wimbledon branch, the engineering team was able to pre‑configure and commission approximately 95% of the entire system off‑site. This strategic decision substantially mitigated potential timeline pressures, dramatically streamlined on‑site works, and enabled a near plug‑and‑play installation. As a result, the project remained on schedule, ensuring the store was fully prepared to open its doors on time.

IKEA’s new flagship store brings greater accessibility to central London, creating a powerful platform to showcase the brand, inspire desire and drive visitation. Reinvesting in this iconic high‑street location is designed to boost footfall and support surrounding businesses who benefit from renewed consumer interest.

Situated opposite Oxford Circus station, the striking LED window façade immediately captures attention, welcoming commuters with a bold visual presence. These dynamic windows provide an enhanced stage for IKEA’s homewares tailored to metropolitan living, reinforcing the brand’s mission to “create a better everyday life for the many people.”

By integrating family‑friendly activities, the store places inclusivity at its core, appealing to younger audiences and encouraging engagement across all ages. The studio area operates as an interactive art installation by day, allowing children to explore technology, creativity and design without restriction.

Throughout the week, the IKEA Live Studio hosts “London Culture” sessions. These Cultural Takeovers reflect monthly cultural themes, calendar events and campaign moments that resonate with the wider community. Weekend events like the ‘Plantball Mashup’ invite London chefs to reinterpret IKEA’s plant balls through diverse cultural lenses – all of which are supported by coordinated set design and LED visuals for full sensory immersion.

Broadcasting these live events on the exterior LED façade extends the experience outdoors, drawing in new audiences. In an increasingly digital world where real‑life connection is valued more than ever, this adaptable programme of workshops and events helps bring people together, linking children with artists, musicians and local culture.

As a new experience hub on Oxford Street, the store re‑energises shoppers and encourages repeat visitation through shared, memorable moments. IKEA continues to lead in retail innovation, creating a model that can be replicated across future city stores worldwide.

As a B‑Corp, Albert and ISO 14001:2015 certified business, d&b solutions are dedicated to responsible business practices and were proud to support this project. Working closely with IKEA, the d&b team ensured sustainability guided every stage – from design choices and long‑life product selection to consolidated deliveries and on‑site material recycling – upholding shared values and minimising environmental impact.