Ikea

Image: OiMax via Flickr

Big box store Ikea recently announced plans to build a 26-acre suburb near London's Olympic Park, complete homes, offices and a hotel, according to the Daily Mail (via Inhabitat).

The project, called Strand East, is being carried out by LandProp, a subsidiary of the furniture seller's parent company.

Demolition has already started on the neighborhood, whose plans call for 1,200 houses, shops, cafés, a 350-room hotel, and 480,000 square feet of office space.

What will life be like in Ikeaville?

The Huffington Post UK explains:

The whole site will be surrounded by two waterways, so the idea is to create a "mini Venice", the developers explained on Thursday. Residents can make the most of their waterside location by using the moorings, water taxi service, and even a floating cocktail bar.

The aim is to create a friendly neighbourhood idyll, with courtyards and a public square to encourage interaction, and the unsightly aspects of life will be kept to a minimum. Cars will be parked underground and rubbish will be discreetly disposed of through underground tunnels. A school, health surgery and nursery will be built to minimise inconvenient travel.

Home prices for the community have not been set, but they're expected to be affordable. The company paid around $40 million for the land, the Daily Mail reported.