Beyond sustainability-as-usual: co-creating transformative change in sustainable living
Aalto's main event in New European Bauhaus concentrates on radically bold questions.
Aalto is a partner in the New European Bauhaus initiative
The EU initiative imagines future ways of living by combining design, culture, social inclusion, science and technology.
The New European Bauhaus initiative connects the European Green Deal to our living spaces. It calls on all Europeans to imagine and build together a sustainable and inclusive future that is beautiful for our eyes, minds, and souls.
The initiative will mobilise designers, architects, engineers, scientists, students, and creative minds across disciplines to reimagine sustainable living in Europe and beyond.
The built environment causes more than a third of our carbon footprint and half of the world’s natural resources are consumed in construction each year. It also has a strong impact on our daily lives, our identities, wellbeing and biodiversity.
In Europe, the Green Deal aims to make significant improvements to the sustainability of the built environment in the coming years.
'Aalto’s leadership strongly supports this initiative. Pioneers have a good opportunity to influence how European cities and construction are made carbon-neutral and socially and ecologically sustainable', says Ossi Naukkarinen, Vice President for Research.
Aalto's research areas combine science, architecture, art, technology and business in a unique way, which matches the philosophy of the New European Bauhaus project.
'We are one of the world-leading universities in the fields of design and architecture. By combining different scales of research and design from nanomaterials to products, from buildings to cities and landscape architecture utilising the tools like participatory space design and virtual reality, radically new solutions can emerge', says Tuomas Auvinen, Dean of the School of Arts, Design and Architecture.
The Bauhaus initiative sets out an attractive vision for a sustainable European way of life and will accelerate cooperation across organizations through pilot projects.
'We want to change the mindset in construction so that operations are in balance with nature. To this end, we will build a strong community with researchers, designers, architects and companies who want to develop the construction industry to support the well-being of our entire planet, ”says Adjunct Professor Matti Kuittinen, who has been preparing the project.
The New European Bauhaus unfolds in three phases: Co-design, Delivery and Dissemination. The Co-design planning phase of the project is currently on-going until summer 2021.
The Co-design phase identifies ideas, the most urgent needs and challenges, and establishes links between the various parties. The core values of the New European Bauhaus are sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion.
In this phase we start shaping the movement by gathering and connecting what we all consider concrete contemporary examples that showcase principles of the New European Bauhaus. The Partners of the New European Bauhaus act as inspiring promoters of the debates and of the ideas that will be developed through the movement.
The outcome of the co-design phase will be a support framework based on EU programs, including a call for proposals for pilots in different EU Member States where the new Bauhaus concept will come to life.
As a Bauhaus partner, Aalto focuses on the following three themes that build on the Nordic values in urban living environments:
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Decarbonising design by balancing carbon emissions to sinks and storages. As Finland is pursuing carbon neutrality as the first EU member state, we are exploring how wood architecture, landscape design, circular economy, urban metabolism and sustainable financing can contribute to the aspiration of carbon neutrality.
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Strengthen local identities and cultural resilience through sustainable architecture and settlements. The architect’s role becomes one of a socially involved designer, who understands the needs of the community and functionality of the living environment—but this requires real shifts in mindset. Inclusive design is especially relevant in low-income areas that are exposed to climate-related hazards and disaster risks.
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Building a digital community around new ways of thinking and building methods. The plan is to create digital learning materials and participatory platforms to develop built environments.
Aalto has tentatively committed to organise the following events during the co-planning phase of the New European Bauhaus:
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An online workshop for professionals and researchers during the co-design phase of the New European Bauhaus (Beyond sustainability-as-usual: co-creating transformative change in sustainable living 5 May, 2021)
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A national Bauhaus happening for citizen participation (Spring 2021)
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Designs for a Cooler Planet exhibition that presents inspirational projects and transformative ideas on the Otaniemi campus and an online exhibition as part of Helsinki Design Week. (September 2021)
More specific dates and information will be updated later.
Additional information:
Specialist Enni Äijälä, Aalto Leadership Support Services
+358 50 359 4810
[email protected]
The New European Bauhaus home pages
New European Bauhaus: Beautiful, Sustainable, Together
The first Nordic co-design event on March 24, 2021
Contribute to the New European Bauhaus initiative this Spring
We all have the possibility to contribute to the EU’s Green Deal pilots and agenda during Spring 2021.
Designs for a Cooler Planet 2021
In a world of plenty, what is wise to design for the next generations? This year's theme is Resource wisdom, and a university-wide event will take place in September 2021.
Department of Architecture
We train professionals to design human-centred environments.
Department of Design
The Department of Design is a diverse community of competent, creative and responsible individuals. In design, we appreciate technical skill, social significance and artistic expression.
Department of Built Environment
Water resources, spatial data, sustainable asset management and safe transportation.
Wood Program
The Wood Program is a one-year program of study that focuses on wood architecture and industrial building. The program is intended for architects, engineers and other students with a background in design and strong interest in timber construction.
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