OPS-PM is an alliance of cross-border cultural and scientific organizations for the exchange of knowledge, sound recording, creation and promotion of European sound heritage and identity. In its first edition it focused on the Pyrenees-Mediterranean territories. Thanks to the empathic power of sound, the Observatory connects citizens with their immediate natural environment and fosters artistic and scientific exchange between EU communities.
Sava Activities is an adaptable waterfront public park project aiming to reintroduce the riverbanks of Zagreb’s Sava River to the daily life of the citizens. Exploring resilient and ecological solutions through participatory co-design processes, the project prioritized natural preservation; developed socio-cultural density without being necessarily urban; and envisioned providing a mutually harmonized common habitat balancing human use and natural processes.
Villazero is the world's first carbon dioxide-neutral villa, located in the Dalarna region of Sweden. There were two major focus areas in the project. One was to test new innovative materials and solutions to build more sustainably. The other was to draw attention to the fact that the construction industry is the least equal industry in Sweden. In order to show role models so that more women dare to apply for construction, the project chose an all-female construction team for Villazero.
Upcycle Studio Hurra PangPang (Sweden) and talent platform New Order of Fashion (the Netherlands) invited curious visitors of Dutch Design Week to The GREEN WASH. Over 23.000 visitors were blown away by the design potential of discarded garments. From the sourcing of the material to the design to the tailoring and making of the piece itself; forgotten materials were turned into new, yummy, long lasting and much valued fashion pieces before the visitor’s very own eyes.
Fundesplai is intended to offer social inclusion and environmental conservation, all with a clear desire for sustainability. Its tremendous social work focuses on families in situations of marginalisation, and particularly the children of these families, offering them the chance to stay in holiday centres in natural settings all over Catalonia. It also builds hostels and nature education centres and provides soup kitchens and catering for schools.
Childhood summers are the homeland of dreams.
Employability and Capacitation are transversal areas to the entire population of Vila Nova de Gaia. Access to jobs and education can mitigate situations of vulnerability and impact on the social and economic development of citizens. ESCOLA OFICINA is a triple bottom line solution, since it provides social, environmental, and economic responses while advocating equal opportunities, by training unemployed people in the areas of sewing and graphic arts.
Polished Backyard is an annual event concerned with the revitalisation of Katowice's rundown urban backyards, which has been taking place since 2013. It is a response to the particular needs of citizens in post-industrial areas where space allowing neighbourly relationships is missing. The area is chosen in an open competition, the citizens may nominate their backyards. The participatory aspect is crucial - future users take part in both the creative process and its implementation.
“NonSiButtaViaNiente”, an innovative start-up and benefit company, is the first national platform for sharing and recycling museum exhibits and inventories. Inspired by the principles of circular economy
FERCAM Echo Labs is a concrete example of industrial symbiosis that experiments production processes with low environmental impact and high social value, through a global approach and local projects. It uses a network of profit and non-profit companies and associations to feed a circular economy supply chain capable of utilising used wood avoiding its shredding or incineration. It trains fragile individuals, such as asylum seekers,to become skilled craftsmen able to build new beauty from waste.
The City of Brussels as launched its very first local social bulky waste management platform : Troc & Brol. This project is located in the very heart of Brussels, more specifically in the Marolles a small highly heterogeneous residential neighborhood. It aims to collectively collect, sort and repair discarded items and have them freely available for the neighborhood. It also provides a tool to transform habits and reflect upon our mode of consumption, items lifespan and their disposability.
