Read a summary of the thoughts, reflections and ideas that emerged from the BauhausConversation, which the Design Council held in 2021.
The text on this page is dynamic and will constantly evolve as more Bauhaus Talks are added.
In Europe, we have a completely new infrastructure and new modes of transport, with electric cars, drones and aircraft (with sustainable fuel). We exchange energy across countries and regions (water, sun, wind). The infrastructure for e.g. electric cars is simple, easy and aesthetically pleasing, not like now (2021) - messy and complicated with too many providers. We have created a global standard for all connectors for both cars and charging units across the entire European continent. Energy is no longer owned by large conglomerates, but is owned by smaller local communities, partially inspired by the island of Samsø, where neighbours and villages jointly own their green energy production.
The green infrastructure of the future has made the current one redundant, leaving the vast motorway network, which was established during the 20th century and which linked Europe together, now (in 2050) more or less deserted because nature has gradually reclaimed most of the original traffic areas left. The materials from the old road network have been used as a large material warehouse (asphalt, concrete, gravel, iron etc) and have been re-used in the common European circular economy.
Europe has helped lift up Africa and the most impoverished countries, with a groundbreaking focus on tackling the problems where they are. In fact, we succeeded in abolishing the fierce need for migration, especially on the African continent, which was squeezing the European borders at the turn of the century.
Europe took the lead and got the rest of the world on board, because - as Anders Michelsen (Associate Professor at the University of Copenhagen) explains “The better other parts of the world fare, the better Europe fares.”
Local communities and urban communities have become more important to each of us, which can be directly “measured” in the global and European “ Human Happiness and wellbeing.” We all make more effort with our lives, our wellbeing and our interaction with the world around us. Family structures as we know them today are in transformation.
We have far more fluid transitions between urban and rural areas, between culture and nature and between business and housing - the whole of Europe is much more fused together. Our cities look different, they are greener - and city life offers far more fluid transitions between nature and culture; nature has to a greater extent moved into the city, and the city has to a greater extent moved out into the countryside. This increased cohesion in our consumption patterns and forms of living means a better utilisation of our common resources, something that means far more to us - and to life in the city - in 2050.
We are all part of different small communities that join city and country together in an existence where, as architect Adam Mørk explains “things and resources can be shared naturally.” We have become much more local - with a global mindset and local community roots, where we take responsibility for the whole together with other more locally rooted communities. The Cooperative Movement has been given a whole new lease of life in a common European context (Cooperative Movement 2.0).
We have a much more meaningful working life, with a maximum of four working days a week for most people, and we may even have introduced universal basic income throughout Europe. Where the working day for many at the beginning of the century primarily took place in front of a screen, working life in 2050 has once again moved out into the world, away from the screens and closer to real life. The boundaries between work and leisure thus become more fluid, because our approach to data and communication no longer needs to take place via screens, but in 2050 take place via far more intuitive interfaces.
Family life has also become much more flexible. You are not ' shamed ' for looking after your own children, whether you are a man, woman or other. It is still possible to get childcare - either in the local urban community that the vast majority of us have moved into (where there’s a focus on security and learning through closer relationships) or in more professional and stimulating environments. This more professional care in 2050 is no longer primarily about giving parents the opportunity to go to work, but is far more focused on stimulating children's development in daily life.
All materials are sourced locally in a simple, transparent system, where we have peeled away all the superfluous things. We have a close relationship with the things we surround ourselves with in everyday life. Or as Professor Anders Brix from the Royal Academy predicts: “The good life in 2050 will be defined by local roots, low resource consumption and time to linger."
We have also gradually become better at minimising and optimising the use of our waste. One company's residual materials or waste become useful materials in the other company's production. In 2050, we will have a completely different relationship with materials and objects. Less and less of what we buy in 2050 comes from virgin materials [raw materials that are extracted from nature and have undergone a specific process to be included in a product, such as tin, plastic etc]. There is prestige in less consumption and spending quality time with those closest to you.
On the whole, it has become much easier for the individual to make sustainable choices; on the other hand, it has become more complicated to insist on unsustainable choices as a citizen or consumer throughout Europe.
We reflect a lot on what provides value - for society, for the community, for the family, for our circle of friends and for ourselves. Our time is considered the ultimate resource. Through our revised view of the preciousness of time, we have also become better at finding inner peace and balance. In 2050, many of us will have a completely new and more natural relationship with meditation, which has broadly strengthened Europeans’ inner life - greatly inspired by other parts of the world.
Meanwhile, we spend more time outside and in nature, which makes us feel more connected locally. Time spent with our loved ones and our active commitment to local democracy has become a more natural part of our everyday lives - here the northern part of Europe in particular has taken inspiration from the Southern European concept of time.
We could reach a European agreement that all political decisions in Europe are made based on planetary considerations first, i.e. that all other economic, national or local political considerations are secondary to the planetary considerations. It would radically change the political decision-making process on the continent, as we would no longer have the opportunity to make societal decisions from narrow political, national or local political perspectives, and instead let consideration of the planet outweigh all other considerations in all our decisions. Everywhere in Europe.
Or as explained by Professor Ida Engholm (The Royal Academy): "In the transition from welfare to planetary care as the new ethical value base, it is the revolutionary fighting spirit of the former Bauhaus movement that we must bring with us. The pioneering spirit and community spirit they united in a collective enthusiasm, will and belief in being able to change the world is absolutely key to creating change.”
Or as psychologist Lasse Offenberg explains it: “Let considerations for the climate take precedence over considerations for the economy - so that we make decisions that benefit the climate and adapt the economy to it.” And as Group Lead & Tour guide in Copenhagen, Jens Frahm-Rasmussen explains: “We can certainly get better at cooperating - both in Europe and globally - in a way that avoids undermining each other's green taxes, corporation taxes, etc.”
Or as Søren Nielsen (CEO Tegnestuen Mejeriet) says: “ If we humans are only here as consumers, then we have nothing to be here for. We must be both creative and thinking.” On the other hand, when we work together creatively, rather than just consume, we build a foundation for a completely new and community-oriented development and also for learning activities, which enable us to learn from each other across Europe. And all the many different ways that communities can be created and supported (socially, culturally and professionally).
Or as Lone Feifer, Director of Sustainable Construction at Velux elaborates: “ We have housing in common in Europe; The home as a cross-cutting theme - as a resource and regenerative meeting place; as a framework for communities, our health, well-being and as a carbon footprint.”
And it’s important that we remember to involve young people in these discussions, especially when redefining both European identity and the European future. So in the discussions on how we become more regenerative, we will also ask the younger generation what physical environment they envisage in the future - or as designer Boris Berlin puts it: “Which chair does Gretha Thunberg want?”
Many will remember how schools used to be twinned with schools in other countries in Europe, and how this scheme provided insight into other ways of life and other ways of understanding and being together. In this spirit, Patrik Gustavson (CEO of Amager Bakke) proposes “We can develop the twin city idea across Europe for everyone’s benefit.”
According to Steffen Petersen (Engineer and Associate Professor at Aarhus University), “The Bauhaus initiative should be a cultural project that raises the need for sustainable development from being a distinct technical challenge to being a fundamental change in the common European culture.”
“How do we include all of society? This will not succeed if it only happens in a closed, elitist environment. We need TRUE diversity - especially among decision makers.” Anne Kierkebjerg Due (Doctor, MD, PhD) emphasizes.
The EU has not made Bauhaus constructions to gain an advantage over the rest of the world, but reformulated its project to gain relevance for the whole world, i.e. not as a defence against the rest of the world, but as an active partner, which now in 2050 is perceived as having influenced the course of the world. Hence more interest in networking and synergy across countries and regions.
When a product is 'Made in Europe', it is a guarantee that it is always produced as sustainably as possible. There is full transparency around material use and climate impact; or as explained by design student Sofie Piil Grau, it is important that we “as a European community can agree on some basic sustainable guidelines and systems, sustainability is without limits.”
Or, as the chairman of the Design Council states, we need to develop some common tools for measuring impact, across Europe. And perhaps all we need to do is develop a special European, Bauhaus-inspired NEW AESTHETIC that - as explained by designer Christina Halskov - calls for a major transformation towards: “...a sustainable, climate-neutral Europe. All the changes we are now undergoing also affect our relationship with, perception of and work with aesthetics.”
We have coastlines all over Europe and especially in Denmark - so why not let Denmark's contribution be a mobile and floating BauBaut [a Bauhaus boat]. The big difference between the New Bauhaus and the original Bauhaus is that the New Bauhaus is significantly less ‘material’ in its approach. BauBaut - as a representative of the New European Bauhaus - would travel from port city to port city and from market town to market town and connect Europe via water… and thereby start a movement and school that would gradually get more and more Europeans on board.
The boat would need to be large enough to also serve as a floating school, picking up new students and teachers at all of its destinations, and dropping off newly enlightened Europeans in new port cities around the European continent. This BauBaut could easily focus on sustainability in relation to water (our European seas, rivers, lakes, streams etc).
Another proposal involves, as Ditte Lysgaard suggests: “What if we set the bar so high that we could turn the entire Danish building stock into one, large European laboratory for sustainable construction, helped along the way by circular economics?”
Such a laboratory could help show the way and communicate via inspiring examples, - also from the grassroots level, where we could develop a special Danish model that would build on our welfare model and use the ideas from here to build, design and experiment with the sustainable, circular, inclusive welfare model that should be thought of as a scalable solution.
Or as Luise Noring (CEO City Facilitators and Assistant Professor, CBS) suggests: “Perhaps Copenhagen could to a greater extent become a model city for the rest of Europe in terms of sustainability, and especially in terms of how to sustainably finance the good life; the good city life.”
Historically, Denmark has always been a leading country when it comes to design, not least due to the fact that since the welfare development in the post-war period, we have insisted on having a unique combination of social commitment and quality-conscious architecture and design, which is reflected not only in the design of our welfare state, but also our cities, our municipal play areas and well-designed hospital rooms.
And it is a development that in the last 100 years has created a close connection between the great social movements and advanced design, and which means that we now live in a creatively intense and artistically advanced society that supports our ambitions for the Europe of the future.
If we really want to contribute our Danish design DNA to the New European Bauhaus, we should take advantage of the exciting opportunities offered in the combination of the social indignation behind Danish design and the new development models for a sustainable Europe. This strong combination of welfare model, inclusive design and sustainability could be nicely integrated into a kind of ‘super design’ school on a European level.
Design methods would be included in the development process of the sustainable "model society", where all interested parties are involved in the process. The school would not be a physical school, but a European Design Institution which at the European level would be responsible for educating everyone on the European Continent in the most relevant design methods, as part of the general European education curriculum - this would start as early as primary school and all over Europe, and would gradually be embedded in all European education.
Denmark and the Danish welfare model are based on a long-standing tradition of having a society where people take care of one another in strong, local communities - where everyone has the chance to engage and get involved in the Cooperative Movement, in the folk high school movement and in the local community.
When we combine these community-based traditions with a shared ownership from the Cooperative Movement and a standardised education through a strong folk high school tradition, the following starts to happen: our experience of design and community support (through involvement, culture and shared ownership) becomes a powerful tool to “unite the European population around a common green and sustainable future.” For this to succeed, far more people need to get involved and experience that their efforts make a difference. Which - according to Gitte Just (Pause Alchemist) is exactly what our most important task is in the New European Bauhaus.
For if we are to succeed in creating a climate-neutral and sustainable Europe by 2050, it will take much more than just technological progress and political courage and leadership; it will require us to succeed in getting all European citizens involved, committed and to take ownership. And maybe it requires us to - as didactic designer Stine Fausing suggests - “... develop a form of common core narrative - a European celebration of unity, where we all bring a dish.” And perhaps it’s this very mobilisation that Denmark can bring to the table...
På baggrund af en række New Bauhaus Samtaler som vi i Designrådet har afholdt i løbet af januar og februar, deler vi her nogle af de tanker og fragmenter der dukkede op i denne samtale, når vi stillede spørgsmålet “Hvordan tænker du at et bæredygtigt, klimaneutralt Europa anno 2050 kunne se ud?”
Der kommer en helt ny infrastruktur og nye transportformer, elbiler og droner og fly (med bæredygtig brændstof). Infrastrukturen til elbiler skal være enkel, nem og æstetisk, ikke som nu - rodet og kompliceret med for mange udbydere. Der er lavet en global standardisering af alle stik til både biler og strø. Energi ejes ikke længere af store konglomerater, men ejes mindre fællesskab, som på Samsø hvor naboer og landsbyer ejer deres grønne energiproduktion i fællesskab. Fremtidens infrastruktur vil gøre den nuværende overflødig og de nuværende motorvejsnet vil blive forladt, naturen vil tage arealerne tilbage og det vil samtidig være en kæmpe materialelager (asfalt, beton, grus, jern etc) for den cirkulære økonomi.
Lokale fællesskaber og bysamfund har fået større betydning for hver enkelt af os, hvilket direkte kan “måles” i den globale og europæiske ‘Human Happiness and wellbeing”; vi går os allesammen mere umage med vores omverden. Familie strukturer som vi kender dem i dag, er i transformation.
Vi udveksler energi på tværs af lande og regioner (vand, sol, vind). Byerne ser anderledes ud, de er mere grønne. Vi har mere flydende overgange imellem natur og kultur. Byerne er ikke kun hurtige og effektive, vi bor og lever også sammen på andre måder. Et større fællesskab i vores forbrug og bo-former for en bedre udnyttelse af vores fælles resurser vil være afgørende for vores dagligdag i 2050.
Vi er alle en del af forskellige små ”Et fællesskab, hvor ting og ressourcer kan deles naturligt”. Vi er blevet mere mere lokale - med globalt mindset og lokal community forankring, hvor vi tager ansvar for helheden i samklang med andre enheder
Europa har bidraget til at løftede Afrika og f.eks. afskaffede behovet for at migrere, fordi - som Anders Michelsen (Lektor på Københavns Universitet) forklarer ’Jo bedre andre dele af verden har det, jo bedre har Europa det”.
På baggrund af en række New Bauhaus Samtaler som vi i Designrådet har afholdt i løbet af januar og februar, deler vi her nogle af de tanker og fragmenter der dukkede op i denne samtale, når vi stillede spørgsmålet “Hvordan tænker du at et bæredygtigt, klimaneutralt Europa anno 2050 kunne se ud?”
Der kommer en helt ny infrastruktur og nye transportformer, elbiler og droner og fly (med bæredygtig brændstof). Infrastrukturen til elbiler skal være enkel, nem og æstetisk, ikke som nu - rodet og kompliceret med for mange udbydere. Der er lavet en global standardisering af alle stik til både biler og strø. Energi ejes ikke længere af store konglomerater, men ejes mindre fællesskab, som på Samsø hvor naboer og landsbyer ejer deres grønne energiproduktion i fællesskab. Fremtidens infrastruktur vil gøre den nuværende overflødig og de nuværende motorvejsnet vil blive forladt, naturen vil tage arealerne tilbage og det vil samtidig være en kæmpe materialelager (asfalt, beton, grus, jern etc) for den cirkulære økonomi.
Lokale fællesskaber og bysamfund har fået større betydning for hver enkelt af os, hvilket direkte kan “måles” i den globale og europæiske ‘Human Happiness and wellbeing”; vi går os allesammen mere umage med vores omverden. Familie strukturer som vi kender dem i dag, er i transformation.
Vi udveksler energi på tværs af lande og regioner (vand, sol, vind). Byerne ser anderledes ud, de er mere grønne. Vi har mere flydende overgange imellem natur og kultur. Byerne er ikke kun hurtige og effektive, vi bor og lever også sammen på andre måder. Et større fællesskab i vores forbrug og bo-former for en bedre udnyttelse af vores fælles resurser vil være afgørende for vores dagligdag i 2050.
Vi er alle en del af forskellige små ”Et fællesskab, hvor ting og ressourcer kan deles naturligt”. Vi er blevet mere mere lokale - med globalt mindset og lokal community forankring, hvor vi tager ansvar for helheden i samklang med andre enheder
Europa har bidraget til at løftede Afrika og f.eks. afskaffede behovet for at migrere, fordi - som Anders Michelsen (Lektor på Københavns Universitet) forklarer ’Jo bedre andre dele af verden har det, jo bedre har Europa det”.
På baggrund af en række New Bauhaus Samtaler som vi i Designrådet har afholdt i løbet af januar og februar, deler vi her nogle af de tanker og fragmenter der dukkede op i denne samtale, når vi stillede spørgsmålet “Hvordan tænker du at et bæredygtigt, klimaneutralt Europa anno 2050 kunne se ud?”
Der kommer en helt ny infrastruktur og nye transportformer, elbiler og droner og fly (med bæredygtig brændstof). Infrastrukturen til elbiler skal være enkel, nem og æstetisk, ikke som nu - rodet og kompliceret med for mange udbydere. Der er lavet en global standardisering af alle stik til både biler og strø. Energi ejes ikke længere af store konglomerater, men ejes mindre fællesskab, som på Samsø hvor naboer og landsbyer ejer deres grønne energiproduktion i fællesskab. Fremtidens infrastruktur vil gøre den nuværende overflødig og de nuværende motorvejsnet vil blive forladt, naturen vil tage arealerne tilbage og det vil samtidig være en kæmpe materialelager (asfalt, beton, grus, jern etc) for den cirkulære økonomi.
Lokale fællesskaber og bysamfund har fået større betydning for hver enkelt af os, hvilket direkte kan “måles” i den globale og europæiske ‘Human Happiness and wellbeing”; vi går os allesammen mere umage med vores omverden. Familie strukturer som vi kender dem i dag, er i transformation.
Vi udveksler energi på tværs af lande og regioner (vand, sol, vind). Byerne ser anderledes ud, de er mere grønne. Vi har mere flydende overgange imellem natur og kultur. Byerne er ikke kun hurtige og effektive, vi bor og lever også sammen på andre måder. Et større fællesskab i vores forbrug og bo-former for en bedre udnyttelse af vores fælles resurser vil være afgørende for vores dagligdag i 2050.
Vi er alle en del af forskellige små ”Et fællesskab, hvor ting og ressourcer kan deles naturligt”. Vi er blevet mere mere lokale - med globalt mindset og lokal community forankring, hvor vi tager ansvar for helheden i samklang med andre enheder
Europa har bidraget til at løftede Afrika og f.eks. afskaffede behovet for at migrere, fordi - som Anders Michelsen (Lektor på Københavns Universitet) forklarer ’Jo bedre andre dele af verden har det, jo bedre har Europa det”.
På baggrund af en række New Bauhaus Samtaler som vi i Designrådet har afholdt i løbet af januar og februar, deler vi her nogle af de tanker og fragmenter der dukkede op i denne samtale, når vi stillede spørgsmålet “Hvordan tænker du at et bæredygtigt, klimaneutralt Europa anno 2050 kunne se ud?”
Europa har lavet en gennemgribende nytænkning af den fælles infrastruktur (100% bæredygtig)
Der kommer en helt ny infrastruktur og nye transportformer, elbiler og droner og fly (med bæredygtig brændstof). Infrastrukturen til elbiler skal være enkel, nem og æstetisk, ikke som nu - rodet og kompliceret med for mange udbydere. Der er lavet en global standardisering af alle stik til både biler og strø. Energi ejes ikke længere af store konglomerater, men ejes mindre fællesskab, som på Samsø hvor naboer og landsbyer ejer deres grønne energiproduktion i fællesskab. Fremtidens infrastruktur vil gøre den nuværende overflødig og de nuværende motorvejsnet vil blive forladt, naturen vil tage arealerne tilbage og det vil samtidig være en kæmpe materialelager (asfalt, beton, grus, jern etc) for den cirkulære økonomi.
Vi har mere fritid, og bruger mere tid på kulturelle fællesskaber og i lokale nær-miljøer
Lokale fællesskaber og bysamfund har fået større betydning for hver enkelt af os, hvilket direkte kan “måles” i den globale og europæiske ‘Human Happiness and wellbeing”; vi går os allesammen mere umage med vores omverden. Familie strukturer som vi kender dem i dag, er i transformation.
Mere flydende overgange mellem by og land - kultur og natur smelter sammen, erhverv og bolig
Vi udveksler energi på tværs af lande og regioner (vand, sol, vind). Byerne ser anderledes ud, de er mere grønne. Vi har mere flydende overgange imellem natur og kultur. Byerne er ikke kun hurtige og effektive, vi bor og lever også sammen på andre måder. Et større fællesskab i vores forbrug og bo-former for en bedre udnyttelse af vores fælles resurser vil være afgørende for vores dagligdag i 2050.
Vi er alle en del af forskellige små ”Et fællesskab, hvor ting og ressourcer kan deles naturligt”. Vi er blevet mere mere lokale - med globalt mindset og lokal community forankring, hvor vi tager ansvar for helheden i samklang med andre enheder
Den globale fattigdom er (næsten) væk - Europa gik forrest i kampen for global inklusion
Europa har bidraget til at løftede Afrika og f.eks. afskaffede behovet for at migrere, fordi - som Anders Michelsen (Lektor på Københavns Universitet) forklarer ’Jo bedre andre dele af verden har det, jo bedre har Europa det”.