Project Aims to Provide Temporary and Permanent Affordable Housing
The European Commission has awarded the Proximity Community project €15,000 under the New European Bauhaus Rising Stars initiative for its proposal to transform the Dani Jarque Sports City in Sant Adrià de Besòs into 147 modular homes. The initiative, designed by architects Jan Álvarez and Pol Cusco Vives, both under 30, aims to deliver affordable housing while promoting urban regeneration and community cohesion. The housing modules would be constructed from wood on compacted earth bases and integrated with urban gardens and agricultural spaces to revive the ecological traditions of the Besòs delta. Initially, the homes would serve as temporary accommodation for residents of the La Pau neighbourhood during the renovation of their degraded buildings. Afterwards, they would become permanent social housing.
EU Recognition for Innovative Urban Solutions
The New European Bauhaus Rising Stars award, launched by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, supports young innovators under 30 who propose sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically grounded urban projects. The 2024 winners were announced on 15 April 2024, with 10 projects receiving €15,000 each. In addition to the financial prize, winning projects receive an official communications package and, for the first time, personalised support from the European Commission to help develop and scale their initiatives.
These awards reflect the best of European creativity in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.
The Proximity Community project was one of two Catalan finalists selected in June 2024. The other, Terra-Mosaic, proposed a system of fractional ownership to regenerate depopulated rural land through citizen micro-investments of at least €500, but did not receive the award.
Local Support Still Needed for Implementation
Despite the EU recognition, the project requires backing from local administrations, social organisations, and neighbourhood associations to move forward. The proposal must now secure planning permission and funding beyond the prize to become a reality. The European Commission highlighted the project as an example of pioneering hybridisation between elite sport, food and water sovereignty, and community cohesion. The initiative forms part of a wider network of over 2,000 participants and more than 700 funded projects under the New European Bauhaus framework. Residents and stakeholders in Sant Adrià de Besòs are encouraged to engage with local authorities on opportunities for consultation as the project develops.
Primary sources: ec.europa.eu, cyprus.representation.ec.europa.eu. Reported by elperiodico.com, housingeurope.eu, El Periódico Barcelona.
