The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) is pleased to announce that the project FURNISH XKIC is among the 50 finalists of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) Prizes 2024. From a pool of over 530 submissions, a total of 50 projects have been chosen, for their quality, alignment with NEB values and principles, and potential to promote beauty, sustainability, and inclusion.
The New European Bauhaus initiative serves as a creative and interdisciplinary platform that connects the European Green Deal with our living spaces and experiences. The prizes aim to acknowledge and reward existing projects as well as concepts developed by young individuals. These projects and concepts showcase that the sustainable solutions advocated by the European Green Deal can also embody inclusivity and aesthetic appeal, enriching people’s daily lives with high-quality experiences.
The online public voting is currently open until March 27, 2024, at 18:00 CET.
To participate in voting for IAAC’s project, please follow these steps:
- Register by providing your email address at this page in the section: Participate in the public vote.
- Check your inbox for a confirmation email and click the provided link to verify your registration.
- Once verified, click the link in the mail and navigate to the voting platform and select “FURNISH XKIC 2021” in the STRAND A – NEB Champions category.
- Finally, choose an additional project from STRAND B to complete your voting process.
- Confirm voting.
The winners will be announced on April 12, in the New European Bauhaus Prizes Awards Ceremony, which will take place during the Festival of the New European Bauhaus 2024, in Brussels (April 9 – April 14).
FURNISH created safer and dynamic spaces in front of schools in Barcelona as a part of the project “Protegim les escoles” set by the Municipality. Its main target was to promote the use of these areas and enhance community cohesion by introducing innovative urban design elements developed through a collaborative co-creation process. These prototypes were implemented at two distinct schools for a testing period of two weeks, where citizens tried them and provided their feedback.
FURNISH enhances and safeguards the areas surrounding schools through the implementation of innovative urban design prototypes created in a collaborative co-creation process. The primary objective was to establish secure and engaging spaces for the vulnerable group of children. Another goal was to introduce interactive prototypes that encourage extended use of these areas, working as transitional spaces, creatively bridging the urban and school environments. The spaces were designed to promote longer stays both before and after school hours, extending the classroom and playground experience, engaging children in play, physical activity and learning. The spaces also fostered community connections among parents and nearby residents, promoting social interaction across different age groups.
The last objective was to heighten community awareness by involving citizens throughout the entire co-creation process of the prototypes. This inclusive approach ensured that the resulting public spaces reflected the specific needs of the local community. To reduce environmental impact, the project also incorporated recyclable materials.
Two different prototypes were designed by university students, tested throughout two weeks in front of two schools in Barcelona. They were NEW NIU, located at Escola Entença and designed by IAAC (students from the Master in Advanced Ecological Buildings & Biocities and Valldaura‘s team), and RAW, located at Escola Antoni Brusí and designed by Elisava school.
FURNISH XKIC is a project financed by EIT Urban Mobility, Co-funded by the European Union with IAAC, CARNET, UPC, Elisava, Ajuntament de Barcelona, Comune di Milano as partners.
NEW NIU
The design was intended to showcase the connection between the natural environment at Valldaura Labs within the Collserola Park and the city below. By using primarily wood grown in Collserola, the students brought the lessons of the forest to the children and parents of Escola Entença. The final installation included 5 custom made outdoor benches constructed from whole logs cut in half and fixed with rebar legs. Students also created two playful box structures in the shape of a heart and a leaf, to add to the sense of playfulness and connection to nature. Finally, an enormous wooden nest was constructed from over 1.200 wooden elements attached together and assembled with the help of students and family members of Escola Entença.
On the day of the installation, a huge gathering of students, teachers, parents and friends from the school came together to help the MAEBB students assemble their final project in the street in front of the school. By working together, the process went quickly and efficiently, resulting in a dramatic nest hanging between the two walls of the school’s main entrance.
RAW
