European Urban Initiative

🌍 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫, 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭?

🇬🇷 Athens is stepping up with the Cooling Havens project, transforming neighbourhoods into water-powered oases that fight extreme heat, restore nature, and bring people together. By weaving water back into the city, Athens is creating a more liveable urban environment.

🤔 With seven havens planned across the city, the project combines rainwater harvesting, wetlands and shaded public spaces to reduce the heat island effect, promote water conservation and strengthen community life.

💡 Discover how Athens is building resilience through Cooling Havens in this article: https://urban-initiative.pulse.ly/edududesk4

📩 Stay updated and join the Portico community to learn more about urban innovation! 🤭 https://urban-initiative.pulse.ly/svllauf1sx

𝐒𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞.

EUI Focused Policy Lab, we will explore the challenges of shrinking cities and identify practical pathways for action to strengthen competitiveness, quality of life and territorial cohesion while supporting the right to stay.

𝑹𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝒋𝒐𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒆𝒍𝒋𝒆: https://urban-initiative.pulse.ly/jz0alkftac

🏛️ 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 #𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐁𝐚𝐮𝐡𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐞 🇮🇹

Over the past two days, city representatives, policymakers, researchers and urban practitioners gathered in Rome for the 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘿𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙩 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙐𝙄 𝙋𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙮 𝙇𝙖𝙗 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝙀𝙪𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙪𝙝𝙖𝙪𝙨.

From governance and investment strategies to neighbourhood regeneration and community participation, discussions focused on how cities can create more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful places.

✨ A key takeaway? Successful transformation starts with putting people at the centre of the processes, recognising that successful neighbourhood regeneration starts with communities, not buildings alone.

🚶 Participants exploring the We-Z Innovative Action project and saw first-hand how cities are driving sustainable, inclusive and people-centred urban transformation on the ground.

The site visits also highlighted the opportunities and challenges of community engagement, particularly when involving younger generations, underlining the need for flexible approaches and long-term commitment.

📸Here are the first pictures from the event: https://flickr.pulse.ly/lft7tmn4qu

🙏 Thank you to all speakers, city representatives and participants who contributed their expertise, experiences and ideas.

✨𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 #𝗡𝗘𝗕𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹2026 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆!

Together, we explored how cities are turning the values of sustainability, inclusivity and beauty into concrete projects and long-term urban strategies.

Through the examples of:
💧 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗦 (𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻, 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺)
🌱 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘2𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗣𝗧 (𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗠é𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗲, 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲)
we discussed how cities can translate NEB principles into real urban transformation and climate resilience.

👏A big thank you to our speakers, Ranja Van Asbroeck, Grete Hellemans & Manon Proisy, and to all participants for the inspiring exchange.

➡️ The conversation continues in Rome on 16–17 June at the European Commission technical dialogue on district Transformation & EUI Policy Lab event on and the New European Bauhaus.

👉 Stay tuned!

🏘️ 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

At the 𝗘𝗨 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴, jointly organised by EUI & URBACT cities will explore innovative housing approaches with peers, share experiences on common challenges, and engage with the EU Housing Taskforce on the European Affordable Housing Plan.

The Lab will explore some of the key questions facing cities today:
❓ How can cities increase affordable housing supply?
❓ What regulatory tools can local authorities use to influence housing markets?
❓ How can affordable housing be financed while ensuring long-term public value?
❓ Which innovative housing solutions can be scaled and transferred to other cities?

Whether you're working on housing strategy, urban development, social inclusion or financing, the Lab offers a space to learn, share and bring back ideas for your city.

📍 Brussels (BE) | 15–16 October 2026

👉 Register now: https://pulse.pulse.ly/vsvbkn6wq0

🇩🇰 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐦-𝐬𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬?

🏙️Over the past two days the EUI national capacity building event brought together more than 70 Danish urban practitioners and policymakers from local authorities to exchange practical approaches for strengthening city centres across the country.

Through interactive workshops and peer exchanges, participants explored how smaller cities of 4,000–20,000 inhabitants can attract residents, support local businesses and create lively, liveable city centres.

Discussions focused on key trends: physical transformation, business and skills development, public-private partnerships, funding models, and long-term governance.

Participants discovered Danish and European case studies, including approaches to sustainable city strategies, community co-design, retail and culture-led regeneration, and sustaining momentum after the first investment.

Thank you to all participants, speakers, experts and partners who contributed to this rich exchange and helped shape practical next steps for Danish cities. 🙏
Ole Vind, , , Kirstine Halken , Tina Saaby , Tadeja Falnoga, Anna-Riitta Kujala , Patricia ILLA BORGE , Annika Olsson, , Anne Dorte Norgaard , Rasmus Munch , Kathryn Larsen

📸https://flic.pulse.ly/l72oldk2ys

🎤 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 #𝗡𝗘𝗕𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹2026 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻

Join the European Urban Initiative at for a discussion on how cities are embedding the principles of the –sustainability, inclusivity and beauty– into urban projects and, ultimately, into local policies.

📅 12 June 2026
🕑 14:15–15:15 (CEST)
📍 NEB Festival, Brussels

During our session, “𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗘𝗨 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘂𝗵𝗮𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲,” participants will discover how cities are translating NEB values into tangible urban transformation through two inspiring examples:
💧 𝗪𝗔𝗧𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗦 (𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻, 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺) – rethinking public spaces through innovative water management solutions that enhance urban resilience while creating attractive and accessible environments.
🌱 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘2𝗔𝗗𝗔𝗣𝗧 (𝗟𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲 𝗠é𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗲, 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲) – testing innovative, time-based approaches to help cities adapt to climate change and improve the quality of urban life.

The conversation will also help set the scene for the 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗘𝗨𝗜 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗯 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 on the New European Bauhaus, taking place in Rome on 16–17 June.

👉 Interested in keeping the discussion going? Register here: https://urban-initiative.pulse.ly/hdiakmnnxa