This initiated an ecosystem dialogue in BLOX in November 2020 where stakeholders across the fields of architecture, design, business, technology, sustainability, arts and science, construction met to share perspectives and to confirm the broad interest and passion in realising the vision of a more beautiful, sustainable and inclusive future. In April 2021, BLOXHUB became an official partner of the New European Bauhaus.

BLOX (i.e. the Danish Architecture Center, Danish Design Center, BLOXHUB and Creative Denmark), together with The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), were given the support to take the lead on the process on behalf of the ecosystem and to act as facilitator based on a clear objective and vision of creating a proposal. BLOX and DI have since then been the driving force behind connecting and engaging people from different disciplines and backgrounds.
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Phase 1 - Feasibility study

This has been done preliminarily by a feasibility study funded by Realdania. The aim was to reach out to the Danish ecosystem and create an overall narrative. Through this co-design process and a bottom-up approach, 150 people and 75 companies across the industry have committed themselves to the creation of a unified narrative: “Designing the irresistible circular society”.
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Phase 2 - Consolidation

The second phase of the process began in May 2021. It focused on the final consolidation and concretisation of the mission and challenges. Simultaneously, the open dialogue between Danish and international actors and knowledge sharing with the EU Commission continued.
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Two High-level Roundtables kicked off the second phase, where a diverse range of professionals from various disciplines gathered to discuss and further explore the mission and connected challenge angles. The next steps included developing three interdisciplinary project groups - one for each of the challenge angles. These groups have further concretised and clarified the challenges and have made an initiatives catalogue through the last months.  

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Phase 3 - Application

The opening of the EU call has finally dawned upon us, and they have collaborated with the Horizon Europe missions to create five lighthouse demonstrator projects. The final phase of this project is, therefore, the application phase.

Based on the EU commission's co-design phase, they have identified four thematic axes, which are:
• Reconnecting with nature.
• Regaining a sense of belonging.
• Prioritising the places and people that need it the most.
• The need for long-term, life-cycle thinking in the industrial ecosystem.

We are pleased with the thematic axes, as they resonate with the output we have gathered from our co-creation process.
The application deadline is on the 25th of January, and we are now working on consolidating our bid.
If you are interested in being part of the EU application or wish to know more, don't hesitate to contact us at ath@bloxhub.org.
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Partnership

As an organisation that wishes to be an inspiring promotor of the debates and ideas that will be developed throughout the movement, BLOXHUB has been appointed an official partner of the New European Bauhaus. We will help identify specific challenges in the frame of the initiative and support our society's transformation into a more beautiful, sustainable and inclusive urban environment. BLOXHUB looks forward to supporting the initiative and help facilitate its success.

You can read more about New European Bauhaus or what it means to be a partner here.The vision for a new European Bauhaus for a green transition was launched by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in Autumn 2020.

The governance of the Danish-led pre-project process was divided into three levels in phase 2:
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Decision-making

The decision-making level consists of the Steering Committee. Their purpose is to ensure direction and commitment from key stakeholders in the ecosystem. The committee consists of representatives from The Confederation of Danish Industry (DI), Molio, Creative Denmark, Danish Architecture Center, Danish Design Centre, CHART, Danish Association of Architects, Royal Danish Academy, Danish Association of Architectural Firms and Realdania
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Coordination

The Coordination level consisted of the Coordination Group, which must ensure progress, coherence in the initiatives. The group consists of representatives from each project group and professionals from research, art, architecture, and the DARE network.
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Execution

The execution level consists of the three interdisciplinary project groups. Each of the project groups consisted of a core of people representing art, research and professionals with competencies associated with the given challenge. The groups also included vision leaders in the form of representatives from NextGenerationEU. The aim was focused, qualified and intensive exploration and solutions of the specific challenges, which is essential to realising the governing mission and ultimately forms the basis for the application.
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In addition, there is a Project Management Office (PMO), consisting of three BLOXHUB employees, who will support the project, ensure coordination and handle various administrative tasks.

This governance structure secured a bottom-up approach, focusing on interdisciplinary inclusion across ages and genders. All the inputs gathered have been put in our treasure chest and will be considered in the final application.

In phase 3, the Steering Committee has continued their role, and the Project Management Office has been extended with an extra person.
The Coordination level now consist of a Task force, which ensures progress and coherence in the application.

The EU is facing the biggest challenge of our time: climate change and overshooting resources push planetary boundaries. Additionally, the world is coming out of a pan- demic - making it the perfect time to use this burning platform to implement change. We need to become leaders in a circular economy anchored in environmental and econom- ic needs and goals and implement it in a shared European culture.

The New European Bauhaus initiative connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces. The initiative calls on all Europeans to imagine and build a sustainable and inclusive future that is beautiful for our eyes, minds, and souls - together. As such, the New European Bauhaus can be seen as a creative and interdisciplinary movement.

During the last year, the Commission completed a co-design phase to start a cultural movement and explore what the calls and additional actions for a New European Bauhaus should look like.

In September, the Commission launched the call for five New European Bauhaus’, each with a grant of 5 million euros with a duration of two years. Each grant is to be seen as a catalyst for additional funding, eventually establishing a sustainable business model.

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Why we respond to it

As a society, we both have the responsibility and the capacity and values to solve and shape the future we desire, why we, of course, want to get involved. To us, the New European Bauhaus initiative is the opportunity to accelerate what needs to be accelerated - together - now.

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