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In the beginning of May 2022, the Commission announced five selected projects for €25 million support in the so-called “lighthouse demonstrators” of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) projects. The announcement of the successful applicants does not constitute a formal commitment for funding: the Commission is currently negotiating grant agreements with the selected beneficiaries. The projects will create more sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful spaces in locations in the EU-27 and will involve citizens in the green transition at the local level.
The New European Bauhaus (NEB) project aims to bridge the worlds of art, culture and education with science and technology. Horizon Europe plays a key role as a major driver of new ideas, prototypes, and products, as research and innovation are major components of the NEB’s design, delivery, and dissemination.
The €25 million call to “Support the deployment of lighthouse demonstrators for the NEB initiative in the context of EU Missions” function during the end of September 2021 and the end of January 2022, as a part of the Horizon Europe Missions work program for 2021-2022.
The projects will contribute innovative ideas and solutions within two years’ time, helping to point the way forward for other NEB actions. As they are spread across Europe, the projects will provide a diversity of results that can be adapted and replicated in similar activities and demonstrators in Europe and beyond, helping to inspire future projects.
The projects will also contribute to the EU Missions, which are closely connected to the NEB, with both initiatives aiming to tackle major challenges in health, climate and environment through closer engagement with citizens, and harnessing the power of research and innovation.
Commission President acknowledged that the New European Bauhaus projects would show “how the future can look” and bring the European Green Deal to peoples’ daily lives and living spaces. She expressed a firm opinion that the selected projects should become the starting point for a European and worldwide network of New European Bauhaus projects.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_2780
Five demonstrating projects in 13 countries
The five shortlisted projects will receive funding of approximately €5 million each to implement their plans in 11 Member States (Belgium, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Slovenia, and Portugal), as well as in Norway and Turkey.
The projects will deal with topics such as building renovation, circularity, arts, cultural heritage, education, smart cities, urban and rural regeneration and more.
The projects are:
1. CULTUURCAMPUS (Cultuurcampus: a sustainable hub of arts, research, learning and community as catalyst): the project is aimed at connecting education, research, policy and cultural aspects in considering the lived experiences of its residents. Practically, the Cultuurcampus projects aims to transform the disadvantaged urban area of Rotterdam South (NL), but preserve historical building and will act as a hub for different groups and activities.
2. NEB-STAR (New European Bauhaus STAvangeR): the project will serve as a showcase for other territorial transformation plans to incorporate the principles and values of the NEB in Stavanger (NO), Prague (CZ) and Utrecht (NL). The project will tackle four emblematic challenges linked to climate-neutral cities, all considering local needs and concerns through co-creation with residents and stakeholders.
3. NEBhourhoods (NEBhourhoods): the project prepares a German region of Munich-Neuperlach for the future as mapped out by the European Green Deal when it comes to the built environment, circularity, mobility, energy, food, and health. The project will build on the area’s strengths, such as strong sense of community, vast green areas, large-scale housing, even if in need of renovation – and address its weaknesses – higher than average unemployment and lower than average education levels.
4. DESIRE (Designing the Irresistible Circular Society): the project wants to tackle the major challenges faced by societies and cities, such as climate change, biodiversity loss and resource challenges. Based on three main themes of inclusivity, circularity and reconciling cities with nature, the project will use art, architecture, and design to explore alternative ways of transforming territories across different European cities (DK, NL, SI, IT, LV).
5. EHHUR (EYES HEARTS HANDS Urban Revolution): the project supports cities and vulnerable residents in transforming their built environment. Spread across seven different locations in the EU and Associated Countries (DK, EL, BE, PT, TR, HR, IT), it will seek to tackle socio-economic and cultural challenges such as social segregation, energy poverty and degradation of depopulated historical centers.
Another project, the CRAFT (CReating Actionable FuTures) coordination and support action, will support all five selected projects, as well as future NEB lighthouse projects, with €2 million in funding. CRAFT will test collaborative local models for NEB transformations in three “sandbox cities” (Amsterdam, Bologna and Prague) and guide the 100 cities selected under the EU “Climate-neutral and smart cities” projects.
More information in the following Commission’s web-links: – New European Bauhaus website; – EU Missions website; – Press release: Commission announces 100 cities participating in EU; and – Mission for climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030