EUROPEAN COMMISSION LAUNCHES DESIGN PHASE OF NEW European Bauhaus

On Monday 18 January, the European Commission launched the design phase of the new EUROPEAN BAUHAUS, a project intended to bring the world of art and culture closer to the world of science and technology, with the aim of familiarising citizens with the ‚European GREEN DEAL‘.

„IT IS ABOUT MATCHING SUSTAINABILITY WITH STYLE, TO BRING THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL CLOSER TO PEOPLE’S MINDS AND HOMES“, said the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on this occasion.

Mariya Gabriel, the Commissioner for Innovation and Culture, also added: „OUR AMBITION IS TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE FRAMEWORK TO SUPPORT, FACILITATE AND ACCELERATE THE GREEN TRANSFORMATION BY COMBINING SUSTAINABILITY AND AESTHETICS“.

Announced by Ursula von der Leyen in her 2020 State of the Union address, the new EUROPEAN BAUHAUS is defined as an environmental, economic and cultural project, involving the implementation of European projects linked to sustainability, art and culture (SEE EUROPE B12581A22).

Furthermore, „IN PROMOTING AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONS, IT SHOULD CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIAL COHESION AND TO SOLVING HOUSING PROBLEMS“, stressed the Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, who emphasised the inclusive aspect of the project.

As a result of a deliberate choice made by the European Commission, this initiative is not part of the classical master plan followed by the Commission (announcement of a proposal, public referral, presentation, etc.)

Even though the project therefore remains deliberately vague at this stage, the design phase launched on Monday aims to encourage interested citizens, organisations and businesses to share their ideas with the European Commission and to pool them so that concept, as well as the most urgent needs and challenges, can be defined.

„I INVITE OUR ARTISTS, OUR STUDENTS, OUR ARCHITECTS, OUR ENGINEERS, OUR ACADEMIA, OUR INNOVATORS, OUR CREATORS AND MANY OTHERS TO TAKE PART“, said Ms Gabriel.

To this end, the institution has, among other things, set up a new website to collect „ALL CONTRIBUTIONS, WHICH WILL THEN BE MAPPED AND ANALYSED“, and linked to interested parties.

This design phase will lead to the opening of calls for proposals in the autumn of this year to turn the ideas of the new EUROPEAN BAUHAUS into reality by setting up five pilot projects in different EU Member States, making use of EU funds at national and regional level.

In addition, the Commission plans to award around ten prizes in the summer of 2021 to „SPECIFIC EXAMPLES THAT REPRESENT THE INTEGRATION OF THE KEY VALUES OF NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS THAT ALREADY EXIST AROUND US“ under several categories that are yet to be defined.

The winners will receive a prize worth €30,000 each and will be supported in producing communication materials (e.g. the production of a short documentary).

Over the years to come, this prize ceremony will be used to reward some of the ideas and solutions generated by the new EUROPEAN BAUHAUS. (ORIGINAL VERSION IN FRENCH BY DAMIEN GENICOT)

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