In this episode of the CrAFt video series, we explore how the city of Amsterdam is pioneering new approaches to climate-neutral urban living. As one of three Sandbox Cities in the European CrAFt project, Amsterdam is at the forefront of…
This episode of the CrAFt Sandbox City video series invites you into the heart of Bologna, where an abandoned industrial site has been reimagined as DUMBO—a dynamic cultural centre and a pilot project for sustainable, inclusive urban regeneration. As part…
In this CrAFt video episode, we head to Prague—a city known for its stunning historic character—to discover how innovation, creativity and collaboration are shaping its path toward a climate-neutral future. As one of three CrAFt Sandbox Cities, Prague is exploring…
Kiel’s waterfront has long been the city's heart, where ships set sail for Scandinavia and the Baltic, embedding a deep maritime spirit into its culture. Over the years, however, parts of the waterfront became disconnected, leaving urban revitalisation opportunities untapped. The HörnAnkerHaus project is contributing to transforming a historically significant yet underutilised area into a thriving, sustainable urban quarter where housing, community, and commerce converge.
With nearly two decades of experience securing and implementing European-funded projects, Adrian Craciun and George Lupascu are seasoned professionals who have played pivotal roles in shaping the strategic development of the Constanța metropolitan area in Romania. In the summer of 2024, we had the opportunity to speak with them about how their city is transforming its city centre and integrating the New European Bauhaus principles.
This 15th-century building, located in the United Kingdom, blends historic preservation with modern sustainability. Renewable energy investments have cut its carbon footprint by 100 tonnes annually, while restoration efforts maintain its legacy with eco-friendly materials. Awarded the European Sustainable Heritage Award 2024, Athelhampton sets a benchmark for sustainable heritage.
The UIPI Renovation Tour connects policymakers and property owners, making EU renovation goals more accessible. Through events across Europe, it provides practical solutions, financial insights, and policy discussions tailored to local needs, empowering owners to navigate the green transition and improve building sustainability.
Across Europe, more homeowners are generating surplus solar energy—but what if, instead of sending it back to the grid, they could share it locally? Thanks to innovative online platforms, homeowners can now trade excess power with their neighbours, cutting costs, reducing waste, and driving the shift towards a greener, community-powered future.
As CrAFt’s last Core Group of Students, we were thrown into a sea of knowledge that had been accumulated by the previous three core groups. Among them, a Think-Do Tank event in Milan became ours to execute, which we took over mid-planning. Incidentally, the intensity of this process influenced us to choose a different approach than previous editions of the TDT, and navigate towards the act of slowing down and sensing one's surroundings.
The H2020 Infinite project showcases sustainable retrofitting through prefabrication, as seen in Slovenia's Ravne na Koroškem. A 1982 building is being transformed with eco-friendly panels, cutting energy costs while maintaining affordable rent, offering a model for Europe’s green renovation efforts.
Lies Debbaut’s transition from teaching geography in a secondary school to coordinating urban climate policy highlights her passion for the environment and dedication to fostering sustainable cities. Five years ago, she made a decisive move into public administration, joining the climate team at the City of Bruges. There, she quickly took the lead on initiatives designed to lower the city's carbon emissions. Today, Lies is focused on transforming the Quay District, playing a central role in a groundbreaking project that seeks to revitalise Bruges' urban areas while tackling urgent climate issues.
The Swedish BID model showcases the transformative power of local cooperation among property owners in addressing urban challenges. Inspired by the North American concept of Business Improvement Districts, the Swedish adaptation focuses on voluntary, collective efforts to enhance safety, sustainability, and livability in suburban areas.
The RELAUNCHTOWIN project in Burgas, Bulgaria, is transforming a decaying sports hall into a Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) and a vibrant community space. Driven by sustainability and inclusivity, the initiative prioritises citizen engagement as part of its commitment to the New European Bauhaus principles. This project aims to make this building and Burgas a model for modern urban development, blending innovation with community-focused design and green spaces.
Imagine this: a resident sitting comfortably in their living room, enjoying a book, a cold beer, or a football match. Meanwhile, every lightbulb is switched on, every gadget plugged in, and every electric appliance contributes not only to their comfort but also to a communal reserve fund dedicated to improving their building. This is the reality at the Marius Renard building in Anderlecht, in the Brussels Region, where an ambitious energy community has turned sustainability into a way of life.
Making cities greener is more complex than it seems, especially when creating shared gardens. What looks like an easy project can run into unexpected problems, like people living unofficially in an area who worry about their homes if the space becomes public. This project showed Elham, a member of CrAFt's Core Groups of students, that changing parts of a city isn't just about adding plants or benches; it's also about understanding how these changes affect the people who live there.
In this interview, Karel Koch, Lab Lead of Sluislab and Associate Lector at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, discusses the role of arts and culture in Amsterdam’s Sluisbuurt development. He explores how citizen engagement, creative interventions, and the New European Bauhaus principles are shaping the neighbourhood’s future while balancing flexibility and strategic urban planning.
In this video essay, Elham, an interactive multimedia designer and a proud member of Craft Group 3, introduces herself as a recent graduate with a master’s degree in digital design from Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. She creates generative art…
In this video essay, Sophie, a member of Craft Core Group 3 and a student at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam, reflects on her personal journey of finding a sense of home and connection in a new environment. Specialising…
"The place where I connect" is a short film series produced by CrAFt's Core Group of Students, exploring the deep connection between our emotions and the cities we inhabit. Each episode delves into personal reflections, uncovering how urban environments shape the protagonists while inspiring change. Through intimate storytelling, the series reveals the impact of city design on individual and collective well-being.
In 2024, the Czech Child-Friendly City Association launched the first Czech adventure playground. Inspired by a concept from Denmark, this pop-up playground in Prague allowed children to build and play freely. Despite initial uncertainties, the project’s success led to an extended run. It promoted sustainability, creativity, and community, inspiring plans for future playgrounds.
Kuba Depczyński is the curator of public programmes at Warsaw's Museum of Modern Art and co-founder of the Office for Post-Artistic Services, a collective of artists and activists in Poland. This collective's work bridges art and social issues, mainly through projects like Opolno-Zdrój is the Future!, where they engage with communities facing the challenges of transitioning from coal mining to sustainable futures.
As European capital cities deal with rapid population growth, some towns face the opposite problem: population decline and economic downturns. Miodrag Kuč's project in Eisenhüttenstadt (Germany) and Visaginas (Lithuania) tackles these issues in two monofunctional cities dependent on heavy industries such as steel and nuclear energy. He helps residents craft a collective vision for their cities' futures through creative projects and extensive community involvement.
Annick Vanhove, a renovation coach in Mechelen, Belgium, combines her expertise in renovation, team coaching, and strategic communication to assist condominium owners in driving sustainable, community-focused projects as part of her role at the Condoreno EU project.
Fastighetsägarna Sverige, a nationwide federation with 150 years of expertise, supports Sweden’s property industry through sustainable practices and community engagement. The organisation released a comprehensive guide on social sustainability in May 2023. This document offers practical tools and examples for property owners to enhance their social impact, emphasising ethical business practices, community building, and responsible urban development.
Cultural centre Sladovna Písek (Czech Republic) transformed a former malt factory into a haven for children and adults. Offering exhibitions, theatrical experiences, and educational programmes, the centre promotes creativity, active citizenship and environmental consciousness. Under director Adam Langer, Sladovna Písek emphasises participatory processes, blending art and education to inspire young minds and foster a sense of community and environmental stewardship.
On 31 May 2024, the conference “Climate Change and Climate Adaptation: Living Below Sea Levels” was held in Amsterdam. The event, organised by Vereniging Eigen Huis and the International Union of Property Owners (UIPI), brought together 45 participants, including property owners,…
Architecture-engineering student Raffaele Tommaso Isernia shares his insights on cultural space DumBo, where art and community dialogue breathe new life into the industrial landscape, honouring the legacy of 90s graffiti artists while fostering contemporary creativity.
Odd Vinje, a computer engineer involved in the NEB-Star project, works to bridge digital solutions with societal impact, aiming to foster collaboration across sectors. His passion for nature aligns seamlessly with the project's focus on environmental concerns, making his work meaningful and forward-thinking.
Started in 2021, the Planning Bus is a unique educational initiative revived by Markus Schwai and Erik Frydenlund Hofsbro to blend real-world urban planning challenges with student learning and community engagement in Norway.
Ruxandra, one of ÎntreVecini's Community builders, explains this Romanian organisation's innovative method to foster environmental sustainability and vibrant urban spaces by empowering neighbours and supporting long-lasting community initiatives.
Discover how an interdisciplinary group of students embarked on a journey to reimagine urban spaces through collaborative creativity, embodied engagement, and collective dreaming for sustainability in this insightful reflection on CrAFt's Think/Do Tank event in Amsterdam.
Umeå, Sweden, is a vibrant university city that embraces sustainable urban development and inclusivity. Strategic development officer Anna Sandström Emmelin explains how the municipality integrates citizen dialogue, culture, and innovative projects for a thriving future.
Giulia, 27, an Architecture and Construction Engineering student in Bologna, shares her journey exploring DumBO, a transformative urban project, focusing on environmental sustainability and collaborative community development using the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Impact Model.
This double interview delves into Matilde’s and A'mina’s insights on Bologna's cultural landscape, their experiences with the transformative urban space DumBO, and their perspectives on enhancing its vibrancy and inclusivity.
In the waters of the Johan van Hasselt canal in the North of Amsterdam stands Schoonschip, a community-driven floating neighbourhood comprising 46 households representing a pioneering experiment in eco-friendly living.
This story follows Noemí Julián's role as a manager in Bologna's Climate Citizens' Assembly, aimed at addressing climate change and engaging citizens in shaping the city's sustainable future. Noemí highlights the transformative impact of the Assembly, activating previously inactive citizens and validating the city's climate neutrality plans.
In the heart of Sluisbuurt, Amsterdam, Marijn van der Eyden's journey unfolds, bridging disciplines from mathematics to the arts. Her passion for cultural heritage intertwines with community engagement, showcasing art as a catalyst for social change in times of rapid urbanisation.
Learn about Amsterdam's hidden underground cultural scene with Expeditie Vrije Ruimte, an excellent example of a Free Cultural Space (FCS) and a project empowering citizens to become architects of their living environments.
The Marineterrein in Amsterdam is a test urban area that is gradually developing into a city quarter where there is room for open innovation, culture, sports, recreation and greenery.
The Green Mile Foundation, a collaboration of six diverse organisations, strives to turn a vibrant street into a sustainable haven for nature and people. Overcoming alignment challenges, their partnership with university students emphasises art, education, and diverse perspectives to create an inclusive, responsive community.
The cultural and creative industries have a crucial role in the urban redevelopment of Amsterdam. In this article we take a look at two excellent examples: Marineterrein and Expeditie Vrije Ruimte.
Bologna is an excellent example of urban regeneration through experimental interventions in collaboration with a wide array of stakeholders, including local business, grassroots organisations, public institutions and academia.
An interview with Orlaith Mayet, an art student who addressed her housing situation in an unconventional and sustainable way.