The New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative was launched by the European Commission in the framework of its “renovation wave”. The core idea of the original Bauhaus was based on a social approach where art was to serve a social role. In this article, Sorcha Edwards explains how the New European Bauhaus contains real potential based on the success of the inclusive, beautiful and affordable housing developed by the members of Housing Europe.

For more than 50 years, the National Building Fund has been playing a crucial role in supporting the Danish social and affordable housing sector, ensuring that housing providers are not affected by pro-cyclical investments, usually peaking during times of the strongest economic prosperity and declining in times of economic difficulty. Instead, the Fund allows social and affordable housing operators to be self-funded not needing to rely on public financing only. Housing Europe’s Social Affairs Chair, Natalia Rogaczewska and Solveig Råberg Tingey, a Chief Economist at the Danish Federation of Non-Profit Housing Providers (BL) explain how does this system work in practice.

The Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI) - part of the EU Renovation Wave - that will pilot 100 lighthouse renovation districts focuses on creating quality, liveable, affordable homes for people and will mobilise cross-sectoral project partnerships. The initiative is still a blank page, let’s shape it together.