The wave of green and social transformation promoted by the New European Bauhaus (NEB) continues to shape the face of Europe, showing that the ecological transition can be not only necessary, but also attractive and practical. Proof of this is the recent assignment of the New European Bauhaus Prize 2025 by the European Commission, which has seen 22 projects triumph for their ability to combine the cardinal principles of sustainability, inclusion and aesthetics in an exemplary way.
The winners, who received up to 30,000 euros and a dedicated communication package, establish themselves as “key factors in the implementation of the European Green Deal at local level”, offering solutions that show how communities can live more sustainablely, while guaranteeing economic accessibility and social equity. The initiative, born with the aim of “involving people at the basic level, focusing on the neighborhoods” and “incorporating the points of view of the various parties concerned”, rewarded innovation into four main categories, divided between already consolidated projects, the “champions of the new European Bauhaus”, and promising initiatives promoted by younger candidates, the “nascent stars of the new European Bauhaus”.
From the streets to the squares
Among the already established projects that have shown a significant impact on the environmental and social transformation stand out the “green axes and the Spanish squares” of Barcelona, rewarded for recovering roads by subtracting them from cars and returning them to people and green spaces. A model of urban rebirth that focuses on the well -being of the inhabitants.
On the accessible living front, the Austrian cooperative Die Hauswirtschaft was recognized for having been able to combine accommodation at affordable prices with shared work and assistance spaces, combining the social dimension with the economic dimension.
An example of resilience and innovation comes from Ukraine with Promprylad, a project that has transformed an old factory into an hub for innovation and social investments, demonstrating the possibility of sustainable rebirth also in complex contexts. Finally, Lithuanian Hempforma has obtained recognition for the relaunch of traditional hemp production to create modern circular acoustic panels, highlighting the potential of a circular industrial ecosystem.
The public vote in this vein was won by the Portuguese edible school, an initiative that reconfigured the education by transforming it into a living ecosystem focused on food and sustainability.
Julse stars: young ideas for a better future
The young promises also offered revolutionary ideas. In the “New European Bauhaus Rising Stars” strand, the Hungarian Pollino has distinguished himself for his idea of transforming urban signs into vital habitats for pollinators, connecting the city to biodiversity. In Estonia, Kopli’s community courtyard was awarded for a co-planning project between students and residents for the creation of a new public space with recycled building materials.
Greece presented Tavros, which illustrated how energy retrofits can make buildings not only more efficient, but also healthier. Italy has received a prize with UNO_SKIN, a project that has explored biomaterials as a sustainable alternative to the skin, aiming for a reduced impact industrial future.
The public vote for this section went to another Italian project, the therapeutic sculpture, which exploits participatory art as a tool for connection, transformation and well -being.
Accommodations and small towns: priority for NEB
In this edition, special attention was reserved for the housing crisis with the “New Bauhaus European Bauhaus for accommodation at affordable prices”. Four projects completed in Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands have been recognized for providing more accessible, sustainable, inclusive and healthy housing solutions for everyone.
In addition, for the first time, special recognition went to 20 small municipalities from eleven countries (including Italy, Spain, France and Germany), highlighting the crucial role that these rural communities play in shaping a more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful future and helping them to overcome initial barriers in the development of these projects.
I am really satisfied with the special accommodation prize this year – underlined the president of the EU Commission, Ursula von der Leyen – will help us think of solutions to the housing crisis in a new way. And it is an inspiration for our work on a European level for housing construction. Our goal is to make accommodation more accessible, sustainable and better quality. These are also the objectives of the new European Bauhaus. A house is not just walls and roof. These are security and belonging.
The NEB initiative continues to operate as a “bridge between the world of science and technology, art and culture”, inviting citizens, architects, businesses and institutions to co-creating a future that is, in summary, “beautiful for our eyes, our mind and our soul”. An appeal that will be renewed with the Festival of the new Bauhaus European 2026 scheduled from 9 to 13 June 2026.
