Beautiful, sustainable, together: validation of the New European Bauhaus approach for the reimagination of public buildings as boosting projects for the transformation of their neighbourhoods.

Introduction

Climate change and the green transition are global challenges that require action to be taken at the local level. The New European Bauhaus (NEB) promotes a place-based approach and supports small-scale initiatives by individuals, neighbourhoods, and communities.

Local Challenges

At the same time, the functional scale of neighbourhoods has been demonstrated as highly efficient in the use of resources whenever they guarantee a spatial distribution of uses, infrastructures, and urban functions, as well as a rational building density. Unfortunately, the functioning at such scale is not always possible due to different degradation processes and urban challenges that lead to:

• The absence of public facilities and services
• Progressive disappearance of local commerce
• Abandonment or lack of care of green areas

This situation also generates a lack of sense of community and individualistic attitudes that increase the environmental impact on the use of resources and reduce awareness of the power of collective action to achieve the green transition and cope with climate change hazards.

NEB Approach

The NEB combines a multilevel, participatory, and transdisciplinary approach to guide the transformation path towards more sustainable, aesthetic, and inclusive communities.

Project Goals

This project aims to start a transformation process in 5 different European neighbourhoods, following the principles of the NEB. It will demonstrate that this approach is suitable for the transformation of any territory, regardless of:

1. Size
2. Rural or urban character
3. Urban challenges
4. Degradation processes undergone

This urban transformation will pursue the generation of more sustainable, beautiful, and circular territories co-governed by their inhabitants.