Meeting of the Renew Europe Group
Meeting of the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament with my election as Vice-President of the Group
Нидерландия
NEW
EUROPEAN
BAUHAUS
On October 14, 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, made the statement that tackling climate change and caring for the environment should also involve the creative sectors. She noted the need for a bridge between the world of science and technology and that of art and culture. Europe needs a "New European Bauhaus" to demonstrate that "the necessary can also be beautiful." "The New European Bauhaus" is an environmental, economic and cultural project of the European commission. The basic idea is to meet the targets of the European Green Pact through a combination of design, sustainability, affordability and investments to achieve the goal of zero carbon emissions as soon and as efficiently as possible on our continent. This European project seeks to implement the Green Pact, but in an innovative and interesting way, with the people of Europe at its heart.
The initiative takes inspiration from the original Bauhaus movement, which emerged in Germany in the 1920s and emphasized the integration of art, design, and craftsmanship with industrial production techniques.
The New European Bauhaus seeks to apply these principles to contemporary challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and the need for sustainable urban development. It aims to bring together designers, architects, engineers, and other professionals to develop new ideas and solutions that prioritize environmental sustainability, social inclusion, and aesthetic quality.
The initiative is intended to be a collaborative effort involving a range of stakeholders, including citizens, communities, businesses, and policymakers. It is intended to be a long-term project that will involve various activities, including the development of pilot projects, the organization of workshops and events, and the establishment of a network of stakeholders across Europe.
Overall, the New European Bauhaus represents a new approach to designing and building in Europe that aims to combine innovation, sustainability, and aesthetics in a way that is both practical and inspiring.
Today, Europe and the world are undergoing a transformation, which is a natural consequence of the ambition to seek and marshal a new worldview, break out of dogmas and stereotypes, due to the need to change the way of thinking on how to build our future life, in light of climate change, digital transformation, technological and scientific development, which entails we must reconsider our outlook on economic, environmental and social matters. However, we strive for solutions, which draw on and are based on our cultural traditions and customs, because they encode that experience and knowledge.
NEB is a catalyst for bringing about transformative changes in the creative, construction and business ecosystems and of new understanding and quality in planning, designing and building our future life, encompassing principles of circularity and resource efficiency in moving towards carbon neutrality, using sustainable and durable technologies, innovation in materials, processes and techniques in renewable, recyclable and cost efficient manner that lowers greenhouse emissions
Within NEB, a broad community of organisations and citizens across Europe was created, united by a common vision of sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics. The key activities of this initiative — including the awards of NEB, the first festival and the laboratory of NEB — are already achieving their objectives, with their help building a transnational network on an ascending basis. Thanks to more than EUR 100 million of European funding allocated so far, both small and large-scale NEB projects are already being implemented across Europe. In addition, for 2023-2024 alone, the Commission will increase funding by a further EUR 106 million under dedicated Horizon Europe funds. NEB works with more than 600 official partner organisations, ranging from pan-European networks to local initiatives and bringing its objectives to millions of citizens. It brings together people from diverse backgrounds, from art and design, cultural and creative industries, as well as cultural heritage institutions, to teachers, scientists and innovators, businesses, local and regional authorities and citizens’ initiatives.
THERE ARE SEVERAL EUROPEAN LEGISLATIONS AND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE THE NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS INITIATIVE
EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL
New European Bauhaus is the soul of the European Green Deal. That is the way Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission anounced the NEB initiative during her State of the Union Address in 2020. The New European Bauhaus is closely linked to the European Green Deal, which is the EU's roadmap for achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The European Green Deal aims to transform the EU's economy and society to be more sustainable and resilient, and the New European Bauhaus is seen as a key part of this transition.
NEB should facilitate the wide implementation of the Renovation Wave throughout the whole chain of the rehabilitation of the existing building stock, in order to extend the life cycle of buildings, improve their energy performance, ensure the safety and durability of architectural assets, the application of new technologies in the construction and management of buildings, with resource-efficient and human-centricity goals for tackling energy poverty and ensuring access to healthy living conditions for households. In this context we need to give the deserved place of the significance of re- purposing and retrofitting obsolete buildings, whose transformation has a key role in Europe’s green transition, as an example of this dimension is the re-use of industrial heritage buildings, which offer many opportunities for advancing the goals of the New European Bauhaus.
There is a need to implement digital technologies in the areas of architectural redevelopment, layout design, as well, throughout the whole building lifecycle, especially through increased use of smart applications for management of energy, water and waste. It is also imperative to reformulate the manner in which we preserve and promote our cultural values, to consider how to best give new impetus to museums, libraries, archives, theatres, art, by utilising scientific achievements and innovations.
NEB gives chance to look at the European Green Deal from the prism of culture - with a special focus on cultural heritage, acknowledging the significance of its protection, restoration or adaptation, as an important vector of preservation of European cultural identity, memory and diversity, but also as strong impetus, exerting influence on the sustainable development and economic prosperity of cities, rural areas and peripheral territories.
sustainable
beautiful
together
The New European Bauhaus (NEB) 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' opened on 28 September 2021 and closed on 25 January 2022. It is part of the Horizon Europe Missions work programme 2021-2022.
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. They will deal with topics such as building renovation, circularity, arts, cultural heritage, education, smart cities, urban and rural regeneration and more.
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 are:
KEY THEMES
innovation
The New European Bauhaus also emphasizes innovation, and seeks to promote new ideas and approaches to design that can help to address contemporary challenges such as climate change and social inequality. This includes promoting the use of new technologies and materials, and encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration among designers, architects, engineers, and other professionals.
sustainability
One of the primary focuses of the New European Bauhaus is sustainability. The initiative aims to promote sustainable design solutions that minimize the environmental impact of buildings and urban spaces. This includes reducing energy consumption, minimizing waste, and using renewable materials.
aesthetics
The New European Bauhaus also places a strong emphasis on aesthetics and design quality. The initiative seeks to promote design solutions that are not only sustainable and inclusive, but also aesthetically pleasing and inspiring. This includes promoting the use of art and design to enhance the quality of public spaces and buildings.
inclusivity
Another key theme of the New European Bauhaus is inclusivity. The initiative seeks to promote design solutions that are accessible and inclusive for all members of society, regardless of their background or abilities. This includes designing public spaces that are accessible for people with disabilities and promoting social inclusion through design.
FUNDING
resources and tools related to the New European Bauhaus and European legislation
BAUKULTUR
Baukultur is a German term that translates to "building culture" in English. It refers to the overall approach to designing and constructing buildings, with a focus on creating functional, sustainable, and aesthetically pleasing structures that are well-integrated into their surroundings. Baukultur emphasizes the importance of craftsmanship, quality materials, and attention to detail, as well as the need for buildings to reflect the values and culture of the communities they serve. The term has been used to promote a more holistic approach to architecture and urban planning that considers social, environmental, and economic factors, and aims to create buildings and cities that are both beautiful and functional.
The Davos Baukultur Quality System (DBQS) applies 8 criteria for creating well-designed places with an emphasis on cultural context and human-centered design. This is high-quality Baukultur. The system follows the Davos Declaration from 2018 , which forms the basis on for the Baukultur movement in terms of academic content and strategic political orientation. It is an instrument enabling the assessment of Baukultur qualities in places with the help of the following eight criteria: Governance, Functionality, Environment, Economy, Diversity, Context, Sense of Place and Beauty. Furthermore, the quality system supports planning and projects, competition judging and participatory processes. The Davos Baukultur Quality System also incorporates and weights social, emotional and cultural values equally to technical and functional aspects.
The Davos Baukultur Alliance - hosted by the World Economic Forum - unites public and private sector stakeholder around a shared set of principles to improve quality and culture of our living environments. The Alliance is dedicated to advancing a conscious, quality-oriented approach to planning, construction and management of buildings, infrastructure, public spaces and landscapes. It is part of the Davos Process, driven by the Swiss Federal Office of Culture. The Alliance aims to foster public-private collaboration to raise awareness of the cultural, social, economic, environmental and technical issues while preserving historical and cultural characteristics.
TIMELINE
NEW EUROPEAN
BAUHAUS
This timeline provides an overview of some of the key events related to the New European Bauhaus initiative. As the initiative continues to evolve, it is likely that additional events and activities will be added to this timeline.
2020
2021
2022
2023
SEPTEMBER
The European Commission launches the New European Bauhaus initiative, inspired by the historical Bauhaus movement.
JANUARY
The New European Bauhaus launches its website, providing information on the initiative's objectives, principles, and activities.
APRIL
A 2-day conference brought together architects, engineers, urban planners, climate activists, scientists, local representatives, creative minds, students and educators from all over the world. More than 8500 people from 85 countries followed the debates, panel discussions and workshops on the future of living. As part of the event the first New European Bauhaus Prize was launched.
SEPTEMBER
The Commission adopts a Communication setting out the concept of the New European Bauhaus. This includes a number of policy actions and funding possibilities. For the funding, there will be about €85 million dedicated to New European Bauhaus projects from EU programmes in 2021 – 2022. Many other EU programmes will integrate the New European Bauhaus as an element of context or priority without a predefined dedicated budget.
JANUARY
The New European Bauhaus hosts a series of workshops, focused on the development of education and training programs that promote sustainable and innovative design skills.
APRIL
The NEB LAB is a ‘think and do' tank to make the New European Bauhaus a reality through concrete and tangible projects. By connecting the initiative's growing community and sharing ideas, it will bring about beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive changes on the ground.
The launch of the ‘NEB LAB' starts with a call for Friends of the New European Bauhaus to involve companies and public actors such as regions, villages and cities, more directly in the New European Bauhaus.
MAY
The New European Bauhaus hosts a conference, focused on the role of cultural heritage in promoting sustainable and innovative design solutions.
SEPTEMBER
Following a plenary vote on 14 September, the Commission welcomed the European Parliament’s strong support for the New European Bauhaus (NEB) as it celebrated two years of existence. The Parliament’s report notably called for stronger financing of the initiative.
NOVEMBER
The New European Bauhaus hosts its first conference, bringing together architects, designers, and other professionals to discuss the initiative's objectives and potential impact.
JUNE
The New European Bauhaus hosts a high-level conference, focused on the role of design in achieving the EU's sustainability goals.
OKTOMBER
The European Urban Initiative (EUI) is launching today a €50 million call to support urban innovation and cities' capabilities to build a sustainable urban development. This call is a perfect translation into practise of the core values of the New European Bauhaus (NEB): aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusion. It will allow the second generation of NEB demonstrators to be implemented after the first six projects that were financed under Horizon Europe. The EUI is part of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
DECEMBER
The 2023 competition will reward 15 exemplary initiatives linking sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusiveness. In the context of the European Year of Skills, the 2023 edition will have a strand focussing on education and learning. For the first time, projects and concepts in the Western Balkans can be submitted.
FEBRUARY
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, travelled to Kyiv, accompanied by 15 Commissioners, for the first ever meeting between the College and the Ukrainian Government. The College discussed with the Ukrainian government EU support to help Ukraine rebuild its cities in a high-quality, sustainable and inclusive way with the New European Bauhaus.
JANUARY
The Commission is presenting the first New European Bauhaus (NEB) Progress Report taking stock of the achievements in the initiative's first two years as well as the first assessment tool for NEB project: the NEB Compass.
JUNE
Designed around three pillars, Forum, Fair and Fest, and based physically in Brussels, at Gare Maritime and at the Mont des Arts, and equally online, the Festival of the New European Bauhaus was built with the NEB community to showcase, celebrate, and develop the movement. Next to the rich programme in Brussels, the Festival also spread throughout Europe, with more than 200 co-created side events independently organised by partners. On 11 June, the prestigious New European Bauhaus Prizes were awarded.
Some of the most significant statements from the European Commission and the European Parliament related to the New European Bauhaus
“The New European Bauhaus is about how we live together, our values, our common spaces of work and leisure, our collective and private experiences. This is a project for all regions and territories in Europe. In promoting affordable solutions, it should contribute to social cohesion and to solving housing problems. If we want to bring real change around us – for a more beautiful, sustainable life together, we need to think about how the New European Bauhaus can bridge the generation of new ideas with implementation in physical places. We are therefore exploring across the Commission how our tools could be mobilised to launch a first set of concrete New European Bauhaus actions.”
Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms
"This is the initiative that aims to break down the goals of the European Green Pact and implement them into the everyday lives of European citizens. To make the principles of reducing the use of fossil fuels, the need for a circular economy, the possibility of using recycled materials, the need to change the way of life in terms of energy consumption reach every EU citizen and every settlement of the EU"
Iskra Mihaylova, Vice-Chair of Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament
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"The New European Bauhaus is a project of hope to explore how we live better together after the pandemic. It is about matching sustainability with style, to bring the European Green Deal closer to people's minds and homes. We need all creative minds: designers, artists, scientists, architects and citizens, to make the New European Bauhaus a success.”
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President
“With the New European Bauhaus our ambition is to develop an innovative framework to support, facilitate and accelerate the green transformation by combining sustainability and aesthetics. By being a bridge between the world of art and culture on one side and the world of science and technology on the other, we will make sure to involve society as a whole: our artists, our students, our architects, our engineers, our academia, our innovators. It will kick-off a systemic change.”
Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth