Desire – an irresistible circular society

Desire experiments with creating sustainable, attractive, and inclusive urban spaces which respect the limited resources of the planet, with the recycling of materials, and in interaction with citizens, artists, urban planners, contractors, builders, knowledge institutions, and other organisations. In short - Desire creates irresistible change.

We are one of the European Commission's six New European Bauhaus lighthouse demonstrators.

Desire will create a movement that sets new standards and develops methods for how Europe transforms existing urban spaces and creates new neighborhoods through urban development, renovation and construction with respect for the planet and for people's different ways of living.

Desire taps into 8 existing building projects and living labs in five countries. Here, we apply design methods in co-creation activities involving local residents - especially the next generation - and stakeholders. Voices from different professions will be involved to inspire, challenge, and qualify what we do. We apply digital engagement tools to collect ideas, images, and impressions from people who are connected to the place in various ways.

Desire is for anyone with a commercial, cultural, political, or scientific interest in transforming the built environment in Europe and beyond, and who sees a need for a new direction.

Desire provides a learning kit and a learning environment based on principles of sustainability, inclusion, and aesthetics, which help policymakers take the right decisions, companies to engage and develop their businesses, and citizens to become engaged and empowered through a cross-disciplinary approach.

By the end of the two-year pilot period, Desire will have established and expanded a consortium of territorial organizations, coordinating organizations, facilitating organizations, and experts which in total make up a new ecosystem for urban transformational change. The project will enrich cities, communities of citizens, and policymakers with state-of-the-art transformative methodologies that will boost aesthetic, inclusive, and sustainable large-scale urban transformation.

This will serve as a foundation for scaling and disseminating solutions, methodologies, and learnings with the overall purpose of supporting the EU Horizon Europe mission of creating 100 climate-neutral and smart cities.