The New European Bauhaus Vision Came to Life in Istanbul
Organized as part of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative developed by the European Union to support environmental, social, and cultural transformation, the “NEB Türkiye Co-Learn & Connect” Event was successfully held in Istanbul on 7 July 2025. The event was realized through the collaboration of TÜBİTAK, Marmara Municipalities Union, and Yıldız Technical University Technopark under the Technical Assistance for Türkiye in Horizon Europe project.
Bringing together experts and stakeholder institutions from various sectors, the event aimed to activate collective thinking around NEB’s core values: sustainability, inclusiveness, and aesthetics. Participants had the opportunity to generate new ideas through interdisciplinary cooperation, share successful practices, and develop project concepts.
Opening speeches were delivered by Çağrı Yıldırım, Director of EU Framework Programmes at TÜBİTAK, Görsev Argın Uz, Director of Training and Projects at Marmara Municipalities Union; and Assoc. Prof. Zafer Gemici, Vice President of Yıldız Technical University Technopark.
Following the opening, Emilie Vandam, Policy Officer at the European Commission, joined the event online and shared with the participants the concept and values of NEB as well as the Commission’s support mechanisms in this area.
Experience Sharing Panel: Inspiring Practices from Europe
In the panel session titled “NEB Experience Sharing,” experts from different European countries shared their experiences with NEB implementations. Moderated by Sonia Baghernezhad Irani from Yıldız Technical University Technopark, the panel featured Alain Zarli, Secretary General of ECTP; Prof. Annemie Wyckmans from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology; Lukas Fürst, Managing Director of Fürst Möbel GmbH; and Germain Adell, General Director of Metabuilding.
The afternoon session started with a “Pitching Session” where 21 institutions introduced themselves and their NEB-related projects. This session provided an opportunity to better understand the NEB ecosystem in Türkiye. Following this, the “NEB Expertise Mapping Türkiye” workshop offered an interactive content titled “NEB with Me, Us, and All Possibilities,” enabling participants to explore their individual and institutional relationships with NEB values. In the first part of the workshop, titled “NEB & Me – Personal Reflection Zone,” participants evaluated NEB’s principles of aesthetics, sustainability, and inclusiveness through their own life experiences. In the second part, “NEB & Our Work – Interactive Circle,” representatives from different institutions shared the intersections between their work and NEB values within a physical circle, enhancing collective learning. In the final part of the workshop, titled “NEB & All Possibilities – Group Visioning by Destination,” participants developed collective visions and potential project collaborations for the future inspired by the possibilities offered by NEB.
A Strong Step for the Future of NEB in Türkiye
The NEB Türkiye Co-Learn & Connect event became an important step towards the broader and more effective implementation of the NEB approach in Türkiye. The event not only offered participants new perspectives but also laid the foundation for future multi-stakeholder collaborations, contributing to the development of sustainable solutions around shared values.
