Spaceport Sweden Partners with IDEAS for Visitor & Science Center

Team IDEAS and participants at StoryJam on Aug. 29. (Credit: Spaceport Sweden)

KIRUNA, Sweden (Spaceport Sweden PR) — Spaceport Sweden together with Kiruna in Swedish Lapland are proud to announce the partnering with IDEAS, a world leading innovation studio, for the project of develop a Space Visitor & Science Center in Kiruna, contributing to a world-class all year round destination.

IDEAS work from the premise that powerful stories create powerful experiences. Bob Allen, founder and chief storyteller for IDEAS, leads a team of companies that will work together to provide the feasibility and concept study during a three month initial contract. Other team members include: Integrated Insight, Inc.; Exline Design and Architecture; Hurricane Communications and Consulting; and Blackhorse Worldwide.

Team IDEAS members have provided a broad range of services in experience design for a list of clients that includes multiple Walt Disney theme parks & resorts around the world, major Universal Studios theme parks, NASCAR, the San Diego Air & Space Museum, the United States Air Force and the United States Navy.

“Building on Kiruna’s heritage, our aim is to establish Europe’s gateway to space and by further capturing the synergies between space, mining, aviation and tourism, we seek to create a center for adventures, education, research and cross-­‐industry collaboration. Team IDEAS forms a cutting edge group of leading and relevant experience. They are ideally suited to design and the develop the market analysis, story, concept and facilities of the Kiruna Space Visitor & Science Center, creating value for our partners and contribute to growth by strengthening the region’s attractiveness”, says Karin Nilsdotter, CEO Spaceport Sweden.

Team IDEAS visited Kiruna last week to meet with key stakeholders, learning more about the destination and to further conduct StoryJam™ which is a bespoke creative process. StoryJam™ is designed by IDEAS to help develop a core narrative to in this case, support the development of a thriving commercial spaceport and visitor’s experience. Over 40 representatives from local to international stakeholders participated in a full day and very creative workshop.

“Kiruna is already a destination whose value increases daily. Its the center of what I would call an “experience nexus” and there are things available here that are not possible anywhere else in the world, from touring the largest underground iron mine on the planet to seeing the northern lights as part of an exploration of hundreds of kilometers of pristine arctic wilderness by foot, snowmobile, dogsled and ski. This great wild place is one of the few left and it is quite literally on the top of the world. As it evolves along with the growing industry, Spaceport Sweden will offer not only a gateway for European space tourism, but a singular destination for research and discovery of all kinds. Team IDEAS is honored to have been chosen to explore initial creative concepts and preliminary feasibility planning for this absolutely unique dream”, says Bob Allen, founder and Chief Storyteller, IDEAS.

The Swedish Government has identified Kiruna in Swedish Lapland, as one of five locations in Sweden with the potential to develop into sustainable and internationally competitive destination. Kiruna was selected much due to its rich space heritage and its pioneering efforts to establish space tourism and manned spaceflight as an emerging industry. As part of the project, a feasibility and concept study has now been initiated to develop a world-class attraction in a Space Visitor & Science Center in Kiruna.

“Kiruna in Swedish Lapland was selected in the government led project due to our unique potential to further our space tourism industry. Together with Spaceport Sweden we have contracted team IDEAS to conduct a feasibility and concept study for a science center. We are proud to be working with a very qualified team and the concept will contribute to a solid basis and further help leverage our whole destination”, says Dharma Johansson, Project Manager, Sustainable Destination Development in Kiruna.