The New European Bauhaus – a paradigm shift

A recent critique of has ignited a discussion about whether the New European Bauhaus (NEB) is living up to its promises. With the NEB in its early stages, is it fair to write off this ambitious initiative?

ACE President Ruth Schageman is President of the Architects’ Council of Europe

The NEB is a young initiative that aligns perfectly with the long-held aspirations of many European architects: beauty, sustainability, and inclusive design. While its full impact will take time to materialise, the NEB has demonstrably begun fostering a constructive debate about the future of design, highlighting solutions for a high quality living environment for all.

Sustainability and inclusion are amongst the principal challenges of our time. These are not mere fashion trends – and they will only become more relevant. As time goes on, transforming our built environment to meet growing challenges will become increasingly necessary. It is therefore crucial to promote and work with the NEB to achieve an adaptive built environment.

Has the NEB achieved everything it set out to achieve yet?

Not yet. Launched in 2020, the NEB is in its infancy. No single political undertaking is without challenge. Nevertheless, we believe the project has demonstrably moved forward. While I acknowledge the need for more funding, the commitment of 700 million EUR shows a serious intention to support the goals of the NEB.

Of course, this cannot happen overnight, this is a momentous task. Indeed, the NEB remains a work in progress. However, it has not failed to kickstart a constructive debate and we see advocacy for NEB principles within industry increasingly taking precedence, making changes in legislation, and finding innovative solutions.

Admittedly, a crucial challenge will be that of extending the increasing support shown by architects towards the general public. Although the NEB might have only a limited public reach at present, it is nevertheless actively trying to expand its reach and initiatives like the NEB Toolbox, NEB academy and NEB Facility and funding and knowledge transfer opportunities are geared towards broader participation.

Despite criticism that it focuses principally on wealthy areas, the NEB seeks to cover all regions. In addition to Germany and Denmark mentioned in Euractiv’s April article the recent NEB lighthouse demonstrators cover projects in Belgium, Czechia, Greece, Croatia, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Portugal. Not only do these demonstration projects go beyond ‘projects for an urban “woke” elite’, but they are meant as pilot projects to be adapted in diverse contexts covering all kinds of socio-economic needs.

The NEB has a broad guiding framework to promote constructive debate and adaptability. The project itself is flexible and aims to be a tool towards positive transformation of the built environment. Therefore, it is not subject to ideological confusion but merely welcomes diversity of approaches under common values.

By focusing on sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics, the NEB is not “trying to do too much at the same time”: these goals reflect complex challenges of our times. They are not mutually exclusive, and the NEB can play a role in finding solutions. Architects have for long expressed these three criteria in the same breath and have rallied behind the NEB.

ACE represents a diverse range of architects but finds overwhelming support in working with and promoting the NEB project. There were doubts at an early stage, but many have changed their mind and see great value in pushing for the initiative’s success. The New European Bauhaus Festival showcased its potential to engage people and underlined the broad and strong approach for finding solutions in all fields that make our Europe a better place.

In another development, the NEB has found an ideological partner in the Davos Baukultur Alliance. Building on the well-received Davos Declaration of 2018, the Alliance was formed in 2023 to create an international network of interdisciplinary dialogue to strengthen cooperation between public and private stakeholders in the building sector. Formed only last year, it will be interesting to see whether the Alliance can bolster the momentum for translating concerns shared by many architects into the public conscious, much to the same aim of the NEB.

In terms of revolution, the NEB cannot be likened to the original Bauhaus movement, but its values are increasingly being translated into practice. Momentum is being garnered, and support towards its goals is being echoed across Europe. As the NEB is a work in progress, it is essential to include constructive criticism in the debate. Fostering this kind of dialogue between architects, policymakers and the public is crucial for the NEB to succeed.