Denmark
NEB Desire
The Desire project – Designing the Irresistible Circular Society – is one of the lighthouse demonstrators funded by the EU under the New European Bauhaus (NEB) programme. Lighthouse demonstrators are pioneering projects to exemplify and promote the NEB's core principles of sustainability, inclusivity and aesthetics, serving as tangible examples and showcasing innovative solutions in urban and rural development. Demonstrators focus on various domains, including building renovation, circular economy, arts, cultural heritage, education, smart cities, urban and rural regeneration. By involving citizens and local stakeholders, they aim to create more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful spaces across Europe.
Launched in October 2022 and led by BLOXHUB, the Nordic hub for sustainable urbanisation (DK), Desire involves 24 partners across six European countries. It set up a total of eight demonstration sites in Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Latvia and Slovenia. The initiative frames cities as ecosystems where humans and non-humans cohabit, creating spaces that are crucial for thriving communities. The built environment becomes a powerful leverage point to reimagine the communities’ collective future. In this framework, the project suggests going beyond established norms, putting in place creative, interdisciplinary approaches integrating social, economic and ecological dimensions.
For Desire, a circular and regenerative urban future will involve a mostly concrete, lasting transformation, coming from place-based change, where collaboration among designers, artists, architects, municipalities and local communities plays an important role. The project works around three main areas:
1. Creating sustainable futures through deep engagement. The initiative focuses on local contexts, and leverages mindsets, beliefs and worldviews as deep engagement points: narratives play a crucial role as they create the conditions to activate citizens. In the case of Amsterdam (NL) and Kalundborg (DK), new groups of self-aware citizens have learned that they can have a voice in the green transformation; in Riga (LV) the prerequisite for renovating Soviet housing blocks in a sustainable, inclusive and high quality way is building trust between authorities and citizens.
2. Designing urban spaces for trust and ownership. Building trust, nurturing ownership, and empowering citizens to co-design meaningful outcomes is closely linked to the relationship that organisations and individuals have, or can establish, with the local context. In Kalundborg (DK) and Ljubljana (SI), listening to the place, learning from its history, and recognising the value of collaborating within the local stakeholder ecosystem helped build a long-term strategy to enhance the city's appeal for future generations.
3. Innovation through art, design and participation. Artistic and design practices are key to engaging communities and transforming places. In Herlev (DK) and Turin (IT) artists helped deepen connections between stakeholders and non-human beings, with the hope to connect people with nature. In Milan (IT), decision-makers worked to incorporate beauty and inclusiveness in urban redevelopment. Gadehavegaard (DK) experimented with involving young people to bring innovative new ideas to life in an area of social housing.
The Desire project – Designing the Irresistible Circular Society – is one of the lighthouse demonstrators funded by the EU under the New European Bauhaus (NEB) programme. Lighthouse demonstrators are pioneering projects to exemplify and promote the NEB's core principles of sustainability, inclusivity and aesthetics, serving as tangible examples and showcasing innovative solutions in urban and rural development. Demonstrators focus on various domains, including building renovation, circular economy, arts, cultural heritage, education, smart cities, urban and rural regeneration. By involving citizens and local stakeholders, they aim to create more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful spaces across Europe.
Launched in October 2022 and led by BLOXHUB, the Nordic hub for sustainable urbanisation (DK), Desire involves 24 partners across six European countries. It set up a total of eight demonstration sites in Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Latvia and Slovenia. The initiative frames cities as ecosystems where humans and non-humans cohabit, creating spaces that are crucial for thriving communities. The built environment becomes a powerful leverage point to reimagine the communities’ collective future. In this framework, the project suggests going beyond established norms, putting in place creative, interdisciplinary approaches integrating social, economic and ecological dimensions.
For Desire, a circular and regenerative urban future will involve a mostly concrete, lasting transformation, coming from place-based change, where collaboration among designers, artists, architects, municipalities and local communities plays an important role. The project works around three main areas:
1. Creating sustainable futures through deep engagement. The initiative focuses on local contexts, and leverages mindsets, beliefs and worldviews as deep engagement points: narratives play a crucial role as they create the conditions to activate citizens. In the case of Amsterdam (NL) and Kalundborg (DK), new groups of self-aware citizens have learned that they can have a voice in the green transformation; in Riga (LV) the prerequisite for renovating Soviet housing blocks in a sustainable, inclusive and high quality way is building trust between authorities and citizens.
2. Designing urban spaces for trust and ownership. Building trust, nurturing ownership, and empowering citizens to co-design meaningful outcomes is closely linked to the relationship that organisations and individuals have, or can establish, with the local context. In Kalundborg (DK) and Ljubljana (SI), listening to the place, learning from its history, and recognising the value of collaborating within the local stakeholder ecosystem helped build a long-term strategy to enhance the city's appeal for future generations.
3. Innovation through art, design and participation. Artistic and design practices are key to engaging communities and transforming places. In Herlev (DK) and Turin (IT) artists helped deepen connections between stakeholders and non-human beings, with the hope to connect people with nature. In Milan (IT), decision-makers worked to incorporate beauty and inclusiveness in urban redevelopment. Gadehavegaard (DK) experimented with involving young people to bring innovative new ideas to life in an area of social housing.
About this resource
Similar content
