Dorota Polak: How were the members of the New European Bauhaus selected? Why are there only two non-EU members among them?
Xavier Troussard: The members of the High Level Roundtable were invited on the basis of their recognized competence, ability and commitment in their fields. During the pre-selection process, more than 50 of these personalities made an individual presentation to the NEB. They also participated in a series of interviews, thereby gathering project ideas. The selection provides a balance in terms of background, area of expertise, experience, gender, nationality and age. It is worth noting that the members of the High Level Roundtable do not represent countries, organizations, or political affiliations. They are nominated as individuals and do not represent any entities or organizations with which they may be affiliated or for which they work.
The first goal of the new European Bauhaus is Europe. Although most of the activities in the design phase of the initiative took place in EU countries, the committee also invited people from outside the EU to enrich the design phase. There is now a noticeable increase in interest in the new European Bauhaus in other parts of the world as well. To emphasize the global dimension of the project, two members of the High Level Roundtable from outside the EU are enriching the discussion around the new European Bauhaus with valuable international perspectives and their expertise.
Dorota Polak: What scenario will be considered a "happy ending" in 2050?
Xavier Troussard: The European Union is aiming for climate neutrality by 2050, i.e., an economy with zero greenhouse gas emissions. This goal lies at the heart of the European Green Deal. The new European Bauhaus aims precisely to translate the European Green Deal into a tangible, positive experience in which all Europeans can participate and grow together. In terms of neutrality, success could mean, for example, resilience to the effects of climate change, including flooding and sea level rise. In the context of affordable social housing, a happy ending would mean a sustainable housing stock that offers a high quality of life that meets residents' needs at an affordable cost, while alleviating fuel poverty.
© New European Bauhaus
Dorota Polak: The ideas around which the New European Bauhaus is built are aesthetics/beauty, sustainability, integration. What is beauty and its role in a sustainable environment that will serve future generations?
Xavier Troussard: As you mentioned, the three core values are sustainability, aesthetics and integration. The challenge is to address all three simultaneously in order to develop innovative solutions that meet real needs at a lower total cost. In this context, "beauty" refers to the positive human experience beyond the functionality of a place, product or process. Itcan mean aesthetics, but it can also be related to thespirit of a place or a sense of belonging to a community. With this "beauty," the new European Bauhaus aims to improve the quality of life for residents, making places and lifestyles a little more pleasant.
Dorota Polak: How does integration work in practice? How do you include everyone in this mission to save the whole world?
Xavier Troussard: The new European Bauhaus aims to create a new lifestyle that is inclusive and accessible to all, while respecting the diversity we have in Europe and beyond. The initiative also aims to leave no one behind. Therefore, special attention is paid to inclusion and participation, involving citizens and co-creating together. Theparticipatory approach includes people of all ages and in all their diversity, including the inclusion of minorities and discriminated communities. The approach is intended to ensure that the envisioned solutions meet a variety of needs, including, but not limited to, those of an aging population, the need to upgrade the skills of various groups, as well as the need for affordable housing.
The Polish entry for the New European Bauhaus Award, "Common Ground," addresses inclusivity from a very creative yet practical point of view. The project addresses the issues of privatization and individualization of urban sprawl in rural areas in Poland. The main idea is to create a system of modular buildings that will allow the creation of a common space, between neighbors. It reverses the "do it yourself" paradigm in favor of "do it together." Boundaries, shared spaces are elements that we always share with our neighbors, that is, at the same time, places where interaction increases, thus enabling negotiation and exchange. Integration "unlocks fences," and thus social relations, now closed in today's also closed society. The solution thus promotes a sense of community and enables communities to be more environmentally and economically resilient.
Dorota Polak: Europe in 2050 as a zero-emission continent - is this even possible? At present, it seems that only the development of modern technologies can meet this task. Are there any other solutions?
Xavier Troussard: With work and learning across disciplines, our industrial ecosystems - from construction to lifestyle and creative sectors, from materials to business models, from digital technologies to agriculture - will be able to provide tailored and affordable solutions that will contribute to a significant transformation. The solutions involve not only new technologies, but can become a combination of new and traditional techniques, or a new adaptation of local crafts and knowledge.
© New European Bauhaus
Dorota Polak: Who should develop solutions that are supposed to be ideal for everyone? Should it be highly developed societies, or should it be the opposite?
Xavier Troussard: There is no one-size-fits-all solution that will be ideal in every context. Rather than striving for uniformity, co-creating sustainable, inclusive and beautiful places, products, ways of life will always mean adapting to the modalities of local conditions and local needs. In such a context, we can learn from each other around the world to better design solutions that best fit local contexts. For example, we can learn from other continents how to rely more on nature, or how to deal with the transformation of very large cities. Cooperation among member states and public authorities at the international, national, regional and local levels, including the participation of civil society and representatives of different communities, will therefore be crucial. From promoting participatory co-design processes to the ability to support the financing of local projects. The new European Bauhaus will require strong cooperation within amulti-level governance framework.
Dorota Polak: How do you feel about the results of the youth competition? What conclusions emerge after a few months of the New European Bauhaus?
Xavier Troussard: Of the more than 2,000 entries received in the first edition of the New European Bauhaus Awards, 778 were in the "Rising Stars of the New European Bauhaus" category . This was a category dedicated to concepts or ideas submitted by young talents under the age of 30, showing that the movement is also strongly influencing the younger generation, which is very encouraging news for the initiative as a whole. All the winners of the "Rising Stars" awards are highly motivated and committed to contributing to positive change in their communities, and show that change is possible and is already happening all around us.
Let's hope, then, that the European Commission's new initiative will not just be a fad for environmentalism and local community cooperation, but will become an actual set of ideas for dealing with conscious environmental protection. Observing the increasingly rapid climate change, we are slowly beginning to be aware that change is already happening. Let's wish that it will be a change for the better, however, and that we will manage to react in such a way that 2050 can be considered a triumph of the idea of a zero-emission continent like Europe.
Dorota Polak: Thank you for the interview.
