3 European cities show how art and culture can contribute to beautiful, sustainable and inclusive neighbourhoods

Three European cities show how art and culture can contribute to creating beautiful, sustainable and inclusive neighbourhoods.

Stadhouderskade, a bustling and congested avenue in Amsterdam, is being transformed into a green and sustainable haven for people and animals. The transformation of this urban artery, initiated by the Green Mile Foundation consortium, is being assisted by university students, whose artistic, social and technical advice is helping to make this 2 km public thoroughfare a safe, inclusive and vibrant community. The collaboration between the students and the Green Mile Foundation takes place within the framework of the EU-funded CRAFT project and explores the idea of a sustainable public space inspired by the principles of the New Bauhaus Europe (NBE). It emphasises the power of art and education to connect people and offer new perspectives on familiar problems. “Art and culture can encourage people to change the way they think,” says Professor Annemie Wyckmans, coordinator of the CRAFT project at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in an article published in “Horizon – The EU Research & Innovation Magazine”.

Stadhouderskade Avenue is being transformed into a paradise thanks to activities such as community clean-ups and the installation of an ‘insect hotel’ in a park, which will provide shelter for insects such as ladybirds, butterflies and solitary bees. “By 2030, we want to transform Stadhouderskade Avenue into a green, sustainable, safe and vibrant thoroughfare for all forms of life,” says Rob Andeweg of the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, a partner in the CRAFT project. We want to do this by fostering a sense of ownership among residents and users of the area, as well as by raising awareness and taking action for nature and animals.

 

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Three main testing grounds

Amsterdam is one of the three reference cities of the CRAFT project, which consists of a community of more than seventy cities that are testing and applying collaborative governance models inspired by the NBE approach to city transformation. The other two major cities are Bologna in northern Italy and Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. In Bologna, the sheds and open spaces of a 40 000 m2 former railway terminal and beach are being renovated to host artistic, sporting and social activities. This is not only a multifunctional space for activities, but also a place where associations, businesses and citizens can collaborate and share ideas on new innovative approaches to sustainable city development. In Prague, art installations are being placed in public spaces to gather feedback from citizens. These small-scale, temporary measures are an ideal way to learn about the potential of systemic urban transformations. Citizens experience first-hand how the proposed changes affect their daily lives, while city representatives can assess the potential impact of large-scale and long-term measures. In the framework of the CRAFT (Creating Actionable Futures) project, the three cities encourage citizens, policy makers, artists and researchers to work together to shape the transition to climate neutrality. We emphasise the importance of art and education in this change,” says Wyckmans. We believe that art can connect people, offer new perspectives and enrich the dialogue between different stakeholders.

 

More information: Cordis