What is New European Bauhaus?

What will the future of Leiden look like? In the New European Bauhaus program by Leiden European City of Science 2022, people, institutes, and companies join hands to work on a more inclusive, more sustainable and more beautiful Leiden in creative ways. Extra attention is given to future generations because the project is spearheaded by a young team.

Local Meeting for the Future

The Local Meetings are the most important part of the New European Bauhaus program. In these 'Local Meetings for the Future' different types of people come together to discuss the future of their local areas. The word "area" is defined quite broadly. Some Local Meetings have themes like water, work, schools, church, mosques, hang-out spots, or soccer clubs. Area doesn't just mean neighborhood. 

Together with all these different types of people, we'll discover what the future looks like in say 2060 or 2112. In the third, most recent, edition the habitants of Leiden talked about the housing of future generations. Young inhabitants, policy makers, and pioneers came together in the old V&D building. They talked about the theme 'Live-Home-Together': making a home and/or living in Leiden in 2060.
To get into the mood for a dialogue about 2060, all participants got to wear a kimono. The kimono symbolized getting away from the now and stepping into the future. The kimonos are part of a Japanese method where future generations are taken into account when communities make a decision.  

Ministry of the Future

The Ministry of the Future speaks for itself; it is meant for everybody who wants to work on the future. We are faced with big challenges over the entire world. These challenges force us to think about how we'll pass on our environment to the next generations. Of course, some parties in the Dutch government decide how to face these challenges but they usually only do so for a short term (1 to 4 years). 
 
Leiden2022's own Meta Knol and plenty of other ministers are fighting for a better and healthier future in a democratic way. Every month there's a Minister Council. Everyone is welcome during these councils, but local meetings and interventions are also organized frequently. Take a look at ministerievandetoekomst.nl  

Later in Leiden

Leiden2022 is a partner of the European Year of Youth. But that's all when it comes to Leiden and the future. Leiden is also a candidate for Cities Mission, and has the ambition to become climate-neutral as soon as possible. 

That creates a new challenge for us in general, that of a sustainable transition: form follows planet. Culture and nature have form a balance again. As an initiative from Leiden2022, artists, scientists, and civilians will join hands to help shape the future according to the principles of the New European Bauhaus: aesthetically pleasing, sustainable, and inclusive.

The main question is: how do we shape our future on a local scale in Leiden? What does that mean for the places we live and work right now? What will that same place look like in 15 years, or in the year 2053? Do you have any influence on that future? We have to switch from short term thinking to a long term perspective. That's what we talk about during the New European Bauhaus sessions.

The Stadsbauhaus

The New European Bauhaus program consists of several get-togethers and pilots with the Stadsbauhaus as home base. From this place, the Green Deal will become a reality. 

The Stadsbauhaus is located at the Langegracht 72 in Leiden. The building houses the headquarters of the Leiden2022 team. On the ground floor, several young entrepreneurs are working on their creative projects. The winner of the Dutch Design Awards 2021, the Circulair Warenhuis, is also located there. The building is open to the public between 10:00 and 17:00.  

The upper levels of the building are inhabited by about 100 students. This means the Stadsbauhaus is inhabited by a special community. The building is located in the Energiepark, a part of the city that used to be an industrial complex and is now undergoing a transformation. 

Do you want to let us know what the future should look like according to you? Take a look at the stadsbauhaus-program and join!