Nordic Bauhaus Events
New European Bauhaus goes into the Woods
You all know the old saying when people sometimes miss the obvious. We say: You lose sight of the forest for the trees. Here today, we do the exact opposite. We are zooming out and it is about the big picture that we want to discuss. It is about embracing the importance of forests for our lives and our livelihoods. It is about forests as our home, forests as our economic foundation and of course forests as our best allies to fight climate change.
— Ursula von der Leyen
In November 2022, the Government of Finland, in collaboration with the European Commission, the Government of Sweden, and the Government of Estonia, organized the high-level event “New European Bauhaus goes into the Woods” in Espoo, Finland. Broadcasted live from Haltia – the Finnish Nature Centre, located in the heart of a forest near Helsinki – the event emphasized the critical role of forest conservation and restoration in planetary health and economic resilience while exploring the intersection of sustainable forestry and green construction.
The event raised key questions about sustainable forest management in the context of climate change and the green transition:
- How can forests serve as both inspiration and material sources for sustainable architecture?
- How can we integrate natural ecosystems into the built environment to enhance biodiversity and carbon sequestration?
- How can we balance competing expectations when considering forests as a resource for future generations?
The event was attended by prominent political leaders, including Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch. Finland’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Maria Ohisalo, and Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Antti Kurvinen, also participated in the discussions.
Photo 2 The Nordic prime ministers and the President Ursula von der Leyen at Into the Woods event, © Lauri Heikkinen
The event also brought together leading researchers and industry professionals in architecture and construction. A keynote address was delivered by Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, founding director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and a member of the New European Bauhaus steering group.
The event featured an opening plenary and three parallel panel discussions: The Future of Forests, Building a Carbon-Neutral Europe with Wood, and Architecture Inspired by Nature.
Discussions centered among other things on sustainable forest management and the application of bio-based materials to propel the construction industry toward carbon neutrality.
Discussions explored sustainable forest management and the application of bio-based materials to accelerate the construction industry’s transition toward carbon neutrality. A concluding dialogue brought together diverse stakeholders to outline strategies for leveraging forests as a resource for sustainable construction while enhancing biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
Recognizing the scale of contemporary environmental challenges, discussions stressed the need for multi-scale solutions, balancing historical knowledge with forward-looking innovation.
Overall, it was acknowledged the New European Bauhaus provides a valuable framework for navigating these complex challenges. During the event, President Ursula von der Leyen reinforced this perspective, emphasizing that wood-based products have immense potential to replace fossil-based materials. Von der Leyen also highlighted the deep cultural and scientific significance of forests, acknowledging their role in traditional knowledge, wellbeing, and ecological balance. She noted that sustainable timber construction could reduce carbon emissions by up to 40% compared to concrete, reinforcing the EU’s commitment to upskilling workers in green construction.
To advance these objectives, von der Leyen announced the launch of the New European Bauhaus Academy in alignment with the 2023 European Year of Skills. NEB academy aims to:
- Foster expertise in green and digital construction techniques,
- Drive research and innovation in sustainable materials and architecture, and
- Provide online education in sustainable forestry, design, and wood-based construction.
Ultimately, the Into the Woods event underscored the urgent need for interdisciplinary collaboration in building a sustainable future. By integrating architectural ingenuity, material science, and ecological stewardship, the New European Bauhaus seeks to drive systemic transformation toward a climate-resilient built environment—not only in Nordic forests but across Europe and beyond.
The event was moderated by Matti Kuittinen from the Ministry of the Environment (Finland).