The European Commission launches prizes for inspiring ideas of how to transform our living spaces in an inclusive, aesthetic, and sustainable manner.
President Ursula von der Leyen during her 2020 State of the Union address announced the New European Bauhaus as an initiative connecting the European Green Deal to our living spaces by bringing together creative, technological and innovative ideas to transform our public and private spaces for the better in a sustainable way (see SwissCore article here). As it moves through the first co-design phase of seeking input from citizens and stakeholder groups on how to move forward, Commissioner Ferreira and Commissioner Gabriel last week launched the New European Bauhaus prizes to celebrate inspiring examples of how transform our living spaces in a more affordable, accessible, sustainable and attractive way.
Applications are now welcome for the first New European Bauhaus prizes until 31 May 2021. The ten prize categories, spanning from ‘products and lifestyle’ to ‘reinvented places to meet and share’, are all themed around the core pillars of the initiative: sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion. In each of the categories, there are two parallel competition strands:
- the “New European Bauhaus Awards” – for existing completed examples; and
- the “New European Bauhaus Rising Stars” – for concepts or ideas submitted by young talents.
The winners in each category and each strand will receive a monetary amount (one winner per category in each strand): €30’000 for winners of the New European Bauhaus Awards, and €15’000 for winners of the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars. Applications must demonstrate why and how the example or project represents or embodies the three main values of aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusion, and testify to its innovative dimension. Both EU and non-EU nationals can apply, as long as their concepts, ideas, and projects are actually developed or physically located in the EU.
An evaluation committee will first assess the eligibility of all entries. There will then be an online public vote, open to all New European Bauhaus newsletter subscribers. A jury made up of New European Bauhaus official partner organisations will finally assess the three projects with the most votes under each category and strand before the prizes are awarded.
The New European Bauhaus unfolds in three phases: Co-design, Delivery and Dissemination. The first phase – already underway since autumn 2020 – engages early through open conversations, to shape the concept in a large co-creation process. In parallel, the initiative needs to develop a framework of deliveries, to align with the ongoing planning of the Multi-annual Financial Framework. Concrete submissions to the co-design phase are expected before 31 May, in order to incorporate the ideas during the Delivery phase, due to begin in September 2021. This second phase will involve setting up and implementing New European Bauhaus pilots, the first of which will be supported partly through the Horizon Europe budget.
The focus of the third dissemination phase will be on diffusing the best ideas, across Europe and beyond. This will focus on networking and knowledge sharing, to identify replicable methods, solutions and prototypes, and make them available to cities, localities, architects and designers. It will be key to engage with citizens, businesses, academia, and to reinforce urban institutional capacities. Side initiatives, as well as additional policy instruments beyond the call for proposal, will help spread the movement through digital networks and engagement platforms. Finally, the aim is for the New European Bauhaus to support the emergence of flourishing lead markets for beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive ways of living.