EIT Community New European Bauhaus: Co-Creation of Public Spaces

The EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative represents a transformative movement that bridges the gap between science, technology, and art. At its core, the initiative seeks to foster the development of sustainable, beautiful, and inclusive living spaces. Central to this mission is the call for proposals focused on the co-creation of public spaces through active citizen engagement.

The Vision: A Collaborative Approach to Urban Living

Public spaces are the lifeblood of our communities. They are the settings where social interactions occur, where cultures intersect, and where the character of a neighborhood is defined. The EIT Community recognizes that for these spaces to be truly effective, they cannot be designed in isolation by architects or city planners alone. Instead, they must be co-created with the people who inhabit them daily.

The call for proposals encourages applicants to move away from top-down urban development. By prioritizing citizen engagement, the EIT Community aims to ensure that local needs, historical contexts, and community aspirations are woven into the very fabric of our urban landscape.

Key Objectives of the Call

Projects supported under this initiative are expected to align with the core principles of the New European Bauhaus: sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion. The objectives include:

• Strengthening Community Ownership: Empowering residents to take an active role in the design and maintenance of their communal areas.
• Fostering Social Cohesion: Creating spaces that are accessible to all, bridging generational and cultural divides.
• Integrating Circularity and Sustainability: Utilizing innovative, low-impact materials and nature-based solutions to enhance environmental quality.
• Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Daily Life: Translating advanced research and technology into tangible improvements in the urban environment.

Eligibility and Focus Areas

The call is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including municipalities, NGOs, research institutions, SMEs, and startups. Preference is given to projects that showcase a multidisciplinary team capable of combining technical expertise with social sciences and artistic practices.

Applications are evaluated based on their scalability, the level of citizen participation involved, and the long-term impact on the community. Whether it is transforming an underutilized square into an urban forest or redesigning a street to prioritize pedestrians over vehicles, the common thread must be the active inclusion of local voices throughout the design process.

The Path Forward

The New European Bauhaus is more than an aesthetic movement; it is a profound commitment to redesigning the way we interact with our environment. Through these calls for proposals, the EIT Community is building a repository of knowledge and best practices that can be replicated across Europe.

By participating in this co-creation process, cities and communities gain access to the support, network, and expertise necessary to revitalize their public realms. Ultimately, this initiative is an invitation to dream of, and physically manifest, a more sustainable and equitable future for all European citizens.