What are the concerns with New European Bauhaus initiative? Vernacular knowledge as the primary driver toward a sustainable future

Abstract

The revolutionary aspect and core values of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) are highly praised, but the initiative's success can only be judged by its approach to defining those values. The local climate plays an inextricable role in informing vernacular architecture, as do other physical, social, economic, and cultural determinants. On the NEB initiative website, it states that the NEB "calls on all of us to imagine and build together a sustainable and inclusive future," with inclusive defined as "encouraging a dialogue across cultures, disciplines, genders, and ages." Such a high-level vision is positive and encouraging, but the detailed action plans outlined in the NEB concept paper presented in June 2021 to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, fell short of real evolutionary thinking about how to integrate vernacular knowledge. The NEB concept paper stated, "Both frontier technologies and vernacular techniques must be equally embraced. Advanced and emerging technologies must be balanced by other locally accessible tools, techniques, and strategies." The fundamental problem with such a statement is that it positions "vernacular techniques" at the other end of "frontier technologies," indicating that vernacular techniques are not "advanced and emerging." On the contrary, we believe that vernacular (or indigenous understanding) is the more advanced scientific knowledge in understanding the symbiotic relationship between the built environment and the natural environment.Hence, it should play a leading role in all climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.