European students call for more green and inclusive areas in Braga

Over the course of one week, more than 40 European students took part in “Design Think Your City Braga”, a reflective and educational initiative carried out within the framework of Youth 4 Bauhaus. This European project aims to empower young people and the educational community to respond to the changes taking place in the cities where they live, by actively and critically engaging them in different ways of using urban public space in a sustainable, green, and inclusive manner. The presentation of the outcomes of this initiative took place last Thursday, 25 May, at gnration.

With the collaboration of architects from the University of Minho and a programme consisting of workshops, guided walks, and introductory Minecraft sessions, the group of students worked on eight designated areas along the Este River, between Parque da Rodovia and the parish of Lomar. The objective was to map and identify the potential of these spaces.

Among the various proposals developed for the areas surrounding the Este River were the creation of social and recreational spaces oriented towards the river, equipped with lighting and trees to provide shaded areas; the reduction of space allocated to cars and traffic, returning public space to residents through the creation of green and leisure areas in a high-density urban context; the establishment of community gardens, enabling local residents to grow their own produce; and the expansion of cycling paths and pedestrian green areas. Other proposals included transforming parking areas by replacing impermeable surfaces with permeable paving, as well as extending the Lomar Park.

These proposals were designed through physical models created by the students, and the course of the Este River was also recreated using the popular game Minecraft. The adopted methodology guided students towards concrete, evidence-based proposals that respond to local needs. A more comprehensive and detailed presentation of these proposals will be made available in a report to be released in November.

All activities were developed in accordance with the principles of the New European Bauhaus, an environmental, economic, and cultural initiative launched by the European Commission. The initiative seeks to combine design, sustainability, accessibility, affordability, and investment in order to help bring the European Green Deal closer to citizens.

This marked the final stage of the project, following previous editions in urban areas of the cities of Košice, Ghent, and Bucharest. The project involved nearly one hundred students and teachers, including participants with reduced mobility, deaf participants, and individuals on the autism spectrum. Together, they were challenged to reflect on and debate concrete urban, environmental, political, social, and cultural issues.

Youth 4 Bauhaus is a project funded by the Erasmus+ programme and grounded in the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative launched by the European Commission.