– Published: 13 December 2024
On 28 November 2024, the Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE) and Europa Nostra co-hosted the conference “New European Bauhaus: Heritage & Transformation” in Kraków, Poland. The event showcased exemplary best practices, cutting-edge solutions for conservation, retrofitting, and adaptive reuse, while also addressing the barriers and opportunities that drive innovation in these fields. The full-day programme concluded with an exclusive preview of the Kraków Declaration, a collaborative initiative by ACE, Europa Nostra, and ICOMOS.
ICOMOS participated in the conference as a key leader in advocating for existing buildings as a central resource for sustainability: Europe Vice-President Riin Alatalu presented an overview of ICOMOS initiatives aimed at fostering respect for historical building stock, enhancing the analysis of energy efficiency in existing structures, and implementing thoughtful interventions to achieve sustainability goals. A notable contribution to this effort is the 2019 ICOMOS report The Future of Our Pasts, which continues to guide discussions. Since 2023, these conversations have been further developed within the ICOMOS working group focused on the EU Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD). As part of its advocacy, ICOMOS champions the recognition of heritage as the fourth pillar of sustainable development goals, emphasizing its critical role in shaping a sustainable future.
The presentations underscored a shared commitment between architects and heritage experts to maximize the use of existing resources, prevent unnecessary demolition, and identify solutions that improve energy performance without compromising heritage values. These discussions formed the foundation for the Kraków Declaration: New European Bauhaus – Heritage & Transformation, jointly issued by ACE, Europa Nostra, and ICOMOS.
The declaration puts forward 7 key recommendations for the future of Europe’s built environment, from favouring renovation and adaptive reuse, embracing innovation and traditional knowledge, upskilling and citizens’ participations, to quality criteria, peer-learning and risk management and preparedness.
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ICOMOS and the New European Bauhaus
