Title: New European Bauhaus
Chair:
Prof. Riva Lava
School of Architecture
National Technical University of Athens, Greece
Abstract/Description:
The New European Bauhaus, launched at the onset of the covid epidemic, called on a wide array of professionals to take a step towards better, sustainable, cohesive and beautiful cities. The legacy of the Bauhaus and its interdisciplinary framework that combined art and technology was revived in order to stimulate major changes and to respond to the European Green Deal.
Now, entering year 5 of the epidemic, and with climate change rampant, we find ourselves marked by significant challenges and a growing collective awareness of the limitations of our planet’s resources. Human actions generate emissions, lead to deforestation, and cause air pollution that, together with the resulting build-up of greenhouse gases, result in alarmingly rapid warming across the globe.
Changes in the climate affect terrestrial environments and ecosystems in a variety of ways. Countries and territories are dealing with increased signs of extreme climate change, rising temperatures, thermal islands, desertification and drought. As architects and planners we are called to co-operate and co-design in order to strengthen our ability to cope when faced with threats as well as develop social and nature-based solutions that are sustainable while still accessible, affordable, inclusive, and aesthetically qualified - as the New European Bauhaus professes.
The special session on the New European Bauhaus aims to bring together NEB projects and practices which nurture innovation and creativity, heritage and locality, as well as art and technology. By crossing disciplinary boundaries and in order to face those challenges of our times which cannot wait, new possibilities emerge within the dire framework of contemporary realities.