The project of a forest-park near Cluj-Napoca was awarded in the New European Bauhaus competition, organized annually by the European Commission.
The competition seeks examples of „beautiful, sustainable, and inclusive projects from real life.”
The Romanian project „Făget Forest-Park; Cluj’s Green Lung” is the winner in the „Reconnecting with nature” category, at component A – Champions of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) 2024 Awards.
These awards aim to provide examples of how the transition to the European Green Deal can enrich the lives of people and communities.
The awards are given in four categories and two components: one for established projects (Champions of the New European Bauhaus) and one for promising initiatives from younger candidates (Emerging Stars of the New European Bauhaus).
The winners received their awards on Friday, at a ceremony held at the European New Bauhaus Festival, by Elisa Ferreira, Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, and Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner designated for innovation, research, culture, education, and youth.
The winners of the „Champions of the New European Bauhaus” are:
1. **Map4Water: The City of a Thousand Fountains (Bosnia and Herzegovina)** – public vote in all categories. The project involves mapping and improving public fountains in Sarajevo, with broad public involvement, including local authorities, citizens, and tourists.
2. **Făget Forest-Park; Cluj’s Green Lung (Romania)** – 1st place in the „Reconnecting with nature” category, for the management and conservation of the Făget Forest-Park.
3. **Flytevi – Blue Urban Community Garden (Sweden)** – 2nd place in the „Reconnecting with nature” category, for supporting communities with sustainable food and water solutions.
4. **SET Community Gardens (Netherlands)** – 1st place in the „Rediscovering a sense of belonging” category, for connecting generations from different socio-cultural backgrounds through a garden and an urban permaculture community center.
5. **Concrete to Culture (Bulgaria)** – 2nd place in the „Rediscovering a sense of belonging” category, for transforming an office complex on the outskirts of Sofia into an active community space.
6. **Rooftop Garden (Spain)** – 1st place in the „Prioritizing places and people in greatest need” category, for promoting social inclusion of people with disabilities through horticulture.
7. **Yes We Camp (France)** – 2nd place in the „Prioritizing places and people in greatest need” category, for supporting communities through space activation initiatives.
8. **A Sustainable Campus Transformation (Luxembourg)** – 1st place in the „Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting lifecycle-based thinking” category, for renovating buildings using reclaimed materials to minimize environmental impact.
9. **Re-Sourcing Commons (Austria)** – 2nd place in the „Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting lifecycle-based thinking” category, for promoting sustainability through the use of reclaimed materials and ensuring collaboration with the community in a public park.
The 20 awarded projects were selected from 49 finalist projects that embody the principles of the New European Bauhaus. They will receive a cash prize of up to 30,000 euros and a communication package to help them further develop their projects or replicate them across Europe.