The European Commission’s European Bauhaus initiative wants to reimagine sustainable living, community spaces and the quality of urban experience. Green walls and roofs are the natural solution.
On top of a mall packed with stores, restaurants and cafés in the heart of Porto, Portugal, is a 4,500 m² urban park. Lush green and shaded, thanks to the planting of mature olive trees, the garden offers an urban escape for local workers and curious tourists.
On top of a four-storey school in the Slovenian city of Kranj, greenery flourishes. For the students, the roof is a green classroom offering the opportunity to learn about gardening and sustainability.
In China on an industrial building in NanTong, a sloped green roof offers a community space for people to relax, while outside the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy, a garden welcomes workers during their break.
These examples demonstrate the social and community importance of green infrastructure in our urban environment, a fact that has been recognised by the European Commission’s commitment to what is known as ‘New European Bauhaus’ (NEB). The concept is described as “platform for experimentation and connection” to make living spaces more accessible, re-imagining sustainable living and improving the quality of our living experience.
The terms may seem abstract but these spaces in Porto, Kranj, NanTong and Maranello demonstrate how to bring European Bauhaus to life. Each example reveals how architecture can improve society, help people to prosper, encourage biodiversity, build community, improve living as well as working conditions and transform grey urbanscapes into green.
Jure Šumi, Knauf Insulation’s Green Solutions’ Advocacy Lead, says: “The European chapter of the World Green Infrastructure Network (WGIN) has been involved in shaping European Bauhaus since its conception.
“Green infrastructure is infinitely adaptable to any use from urban farms, community spaces to play areas. In addition, it encourages better biodiversity and offers an attractive, sustainable way to decarbonise the environment.”
Our Green Solutions division has already been contributing expertise to the European Commission’s NEB Lab — a ‘think and do tank’ — designed to accelerate the move towards European Bauhaus and share expertise.
“The aim is to build a community where projects and ideas can be shared. Already members of the WGIN have attended an initial NEB Lab European Commission Round Table to discuss a wide range of potential opportunities and themes to examine how we all work together.”
Urbanscape’s sustainable advantage
Circular economy: Environmental Product Declarations reveal our solutions’ contribution to the circular economy and the Mineral Wool it uses is recyclable. | Future insight: Urbanscape’s Performance Evaluation Tool (PET) measures the effectiveness of our solutions anywhere in the world. |
DECLARE certified: Urbanscape Rock Mineral Wool is certified by DECLARE meaning all product ingredients are free of Red List chemicals. | Digital support: All green solutions are available in the latest Building Information Modelling (BIM) and CAD digital formats. |
Installation: A square metre of Urbanscape takes minutes to install and does not need soil — saving time and labour. | Lighter solutions: Urbanscape offers the lightest Green Solutions on the market at just 45 kg per square metre. |
Picture in the header:
European Bauhaus in action: a green roof park reimagines urban living in Porto, Portugal / Courtesy of the Portuguese National Association of Green Roofs
Enjoy our Annual Review 2021