NEB Prizes 2021: All Applications

The string quartet is not only a music ensemble, but also an inspiring working group. FourFun is a musical project of conversation concerts based on a direct dialogue between musicians and school students, without the barriers that arise in a concert hall. This allows young participants to get involved and work in a team as in a string quartet. Music becomes a means, not an end, through which spreading the culture of dialogue as noble principle at the basis of society

New Citizen Building Method with Participator ® is a unique METHOD that provides governments, developers, designers with scenarios from a brainstorm on urban developments, engaging stakeholder potential to establish common ground, and simultaneously calculate/convert accumulated data into an understanding of the economic, social and sustainability impact of scenarios.

The method is applied as a design journey and measured along three key principles: is it human centred, sustainabe and adaptive.

Two newly built mixed-use rental apartment buildings go beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Constructed as climate-positive (carbon negative) pioneers in Hohenschönhausen, Berlin. It uses timber hybrid construction and efficient multilayered energy production on site. These buildings create a benefit by removing additional carbon dioxide (-17t CO2/a) from the atmosphere. It creates a positive effect for the future of our diverse society and green environment.

City of Echoes is a living lab where every story counts. University training, provides us with the essential tools and skills and entitles us to make decisions that shape our built environment. The issue however, arises when one relies solely on this education and stops listening and asking questions. At city of Echoes, we are experimenting a complementary educational strategy which is based on learning directly from the citizens. We ask questions, listen to stories and imagine our tomorrow.

LandLuft is a non-profit association based in Austria that has promoted building culture as Baukultur in rural areas in German-speaking Europe since 1999. To communicate the complexity of Baukultur breathtakingly simple, we rely on the role model effect of exemplary municipalities that we find within our prize "LandLuft Baukulturgemeinde-Preis”. To widely share the exemplary communities’ experiences and approaches we highlight them in an exhibition, study trips, workshops and lectures.

The Emergency Operation Center (EOC) gives shelter and support to refugees migrating to Mediterranean countries. The EOC is designed to be homely and beautiful. Sustainable materials (bamboo beams and frames) and innovative techniques (aerobic cooling system, collection of water into two inner gardens) are implemented. Several Sustainable Development Goals 2030 are achieved by the project. It is realized with BIM (Revit). It has an enviromental and inclusive perspective. 

PhiTOilet is ecological, beautiful and accessible-to-all:

based on phytodepuration, it's autonomous from sewer;

it's flexible, it adapts its aspect using on site materials to perfectly integrates with various surrounding landscapes;

it's inclusive and accessible-to-all due to Universal Design principles, removes obstacles which, even today, negatively affect the daily life of millions of EU citizens with disability

it's modular and economical both in implementation and management.

Przystań, a place for community - building and residents activities. Former school rebuilt for the needs of inhabitants together with a landscaped courtyard. It is run by municipal units in partnership with NGOs but its actual hosts are inhabitants. The offer meets local needs and expectations and is completely free of charge and fully available to all. Launching the place in its final shape in September 2020 gave the inhabitants of the northern districts of Gdynia access to social services.

The ExpoAction aimed to actively engage in the co-construction of a desirable future, to reveal modest, responsible, restorative and respectful practices whose resilience has been proven by time by offering visitors the opportunity to dive into the heart of ongoing actions carried out by a new generation of designers committed to the long-term enhancement of collective creative impulses. It invited the visitor to experience them and enjoy the benefits of their collective resonance.

The new idea was to reconvert challenged, car-dominated areas in the city for the use of pedestrians, upgrading territories of car mobility for the benefit of wider usability and liveability. This project involved large participation and answered the need for more community, event and co-working spaces, as well as better quality and more usable outdoor spaces, giving access to indoor places with low vacancy and overcoming the segregation of users.