Milano green forum spreads the new European Bauhaus

With its communication of 15 September 2021, the European Commission set out the objectives of the new European Bauhaus.

It is useful to start with the word before the concept. In German, the word “Bauhaus” contains the words “construction” and “house”. The new European Bauhaus has no direct connection to the 1919 manifesto, except that the European Union did not exist at that time and neither did the climate crisis.

Sustainability is one of the fundamental and inseparable values underpinning the NEB (New European Bauhaus), and it bodes well that the words of which it is made up may refer to our home.

Everyone’s home, our planet, which must now be built respecting sustainability (from climate targets to circularity, zero pollution and biodiversity); aesthetics, quality of experience and style, beyond functionality; and inclusion, i.e. valuing diversity, equality for all and accessibility, including affordability. From the outset, the Milano Green Forum has believed in this new European project, which offers a glimpse of a new way of doing not only things but also ideas. In fact, it has become an official partner of the NEB.

In the official communication mentioned above, the European Commission specifies that the movement is about collective and private experiences and building bridges between people is one of the primary aims. This involves fostering intergenerational solidarity, developing links between education and the arts in local environments, and improving the common spaces and public places where people meet.

The crux of the European document is therefore the proximity economy, together with concepts such as the 15-minute city (the city where everything you need is a quarter of an hour from home), which enable citizens to access key services and facilities on foot, is also a way of strengthening connections and promoting healthy, sustainable and active mobility.

And on this theme the Milano Green Forum wanted to build a green talk, hosting Carlos Moreno (founder of the 15-minute theory), Giuseppe Sala, Mayor of Milan and Cariplo Foundation.

Interviewed by the President of the Milano Green Forum, Federico Manca, the guests talked about what the 15-minute theory is (Carlos Moreno), how to apply it in a metropolis (Beppe Sala) and what operational tools are available to the third sector (Fondazione Cariplo). See the Green Talks at this link

The full text of the European Commission Communication of 15 September 2021 can be found in the “Archives” section of the new Milano Green Forum museum (Link)