More or Less Grey

Where is the architecture of contemporary Europe, the architecture of a united Europe? Where is the architecture that reflects the connected minds of Europe and helps create a European public and civic space? There is little to speak of. If the EU were to fall apart tomorrow, there would be little architecture left to remember it by. We need a debate on the role of architecture and public spaces in the European narrative—on how modern Europe could present itself in a way that represents its values and is sustainable for future generations. This new European architecture must become a key EU objective, not just an afterthought.

A European Splash of Green

At last, there are signs that the European Commission is moving away from its gray image of concrete, steel, and glass by introducing a genuine splash of green. This is not merely a matter of rebranding, a new logo, or clever PR. It seems Europe is truly committed to a green transformation through the European Green Deal, which is long overdue.

The green transformation is more than just a scientific or technological challenge. For Europe to become the world’s first climate-neutral continent, it will require the engagement, imagination, and creativity of people across the continent. This needs to be a cultural movement—one that is nurtured collectively and involves people from all generations, sectors, and regions—from major cities to rural areas—both emotionally and pragmatically. The Green Deal needs a Culture Deal, and vice versa. The New European Bauhaus aims to forge this connection and embed culture throughout the transformation process. Recognizing the value of culture and its deep links with construction, politics, systemic change, and radical innovation is essential to the success of the initiative.

A Spirit of Renewal

The original Bauhaus was driven by a spirit of renewal. It was the Bauhaus method—the radical rethinking of how things work and the reinvention of systems for a more humane society—that offers a valuable model for addressing today’s most pressing challenges. Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius’ vision emerged from the historical momentum of 1918. At that time, he had, by his own account, a sense that he was witnessing a turning point in history. After returning from the war, he was initially convinced that, sooner or later, “things would snap back to the way they had always been.” But it soon became clear to him that, rather than a return to the past, the post-World War I period marked the beginning of something profoundly different—a new era.

​In a similar spirit of renewal, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt launched his New Deal (1933–39), the precursor to the concept of the European Green Deal. Few people realize that the original New Deal had a significant cultural component—Federal Project Number One—which united the nation and helped lay the foundations for an influential American culture, one that, until then, had looked to Europe for inspiration. This cultural shift enabled the U.S. to develop a “soft power” that remains a core aspect of its identity and global appeal even nine decades later.

After World War II, Europe undoubtedly faced an urgent need for economic, societal, and cultural renewal. The Schuman Plan of 1950 provided a visionary political framework for Europe, instilling a sense of common purpose that ultimately led to the formation of the European Union of today.

Building European Belonging

After the COVID pandemic, Europe faces a new set of challenges. Beyond the health crisis, we are now contending with the climate emergency, a pandemic of inequality, and growing polarization. These crises are interconnected, amplifying one another and creating complex, unpredictable dynamics. To overcome the divisions within European societies and foster a culture of solidarity, we must cultivate a renewed sense of European belonging. With this shared European sentiment, we have a chance to address the challenges ahead, but without it, Europe risks regression and fragmentation.

The question is: How do we build a European sense of belonging? It’s like gardening: plan, plant, nurture, water, fertilize, protect, replant, and eventually harvest. It requires love, dedication, persistence, good conditions, and, yes, a little luck. It’s not a quick fix. The EU can encourage belonging through policies and actions that improve citizens' well-being, but it cannot create genuine solidarity through PR alone. An empty call for European unity from Brussels will be seen as bureaucratic or, worse, as propaganda. You cannot create belonging, but you can create the conditions where it can grow.

Old Normal, Nein Danke

Again, today, there is a desire for things to return to the way they were before the COVID crisis. But was our pre-COVID normality really so desirable? Do you remember? In 2019, the U.S. President denied the reality of climate change. Despite the global rise of figures like Greta Thunberg, CO2 emissions reached record highs. California, Siberia, and Greece were on fire. The “old normal” should not be our reference point.

Just as Gropius, Roosevelt, and Schuman once did, we now realize that instead of returning to an outdated, increasingly self-destructive way of life, the post-COVID period offers a chance to begin something profoundly different—something new, something greener, and much less gray. Europe's recovery from the pandemic, the creation of a sustainable future for generations to come, and the building of a shared European public and civic space are not separate endeavors but need to be pursued together. These goals require the belief and active support of Europe’s people. They depend on a collective sense of purpose, cooperation, and mutual trust. They depend on a culture of solidarity.

The Future is Now

Challenging times are also times of possibility, invention, and opportunity. The future is now. The New European Bauhaus holds the potential to ignite and propel Europe’s green transformation—if it can evolve into a cultural and civic movement. Conversely, the green transformation will only succeed if it sparks a continent-wide debate and becomes an integral cultural and civic force.

So, let’s begin today. Let’s establish a Green European Case Study House Program, inspired by the U.S. initiative of the mid-1940s, to design affordable yet dignified housing for large segments of the population. Let’s launch an architecture competition to repurpose existing buildings into community infrastructure, turning them into European public spaces where citizens can connect, learn, meet, discuss, work, play, drink coffee, dance, and imagine a better Europe together.

Let’s build a European Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, at the World Expo, and across Europe, to pose the critical question of how to represent Europe poetically and meaningfully. Let’s create open, functional citizens’ assemblies—not as temporary responses to crises but as ongoing centers of democratic innovation. Europe needs imagination. Architecture can provide that imagination, transcending bricks and mortar, glass and concrete, to shape the future of society. There’s much to be done. Let’s get started.

This essay was first published in our book What If.
Initial thoughts on the topic can be found in André Wilken's book Der diskrete Charme der Bürokratie. Gute Nachrichten aus Europa (S. Fischer Verlage, 2017).