Reimagining Public Spaces through Beautiful, Inclusive and Sustainable Street Furniture
CANVAS is a project funded by the European Commission that aims at transforming and reimagining public spaces through innovative street furniture combining sustainability, inclusiveness, and participatory design principles. Coordinated by AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, the project brings together 18 partners from 10 countries to develop a new European quality standard for street furniture.
Guided by the principles of the New European Bauhaus, CANVAS will co-create and demonstrate solutions that enhance comfort, safety, accessibility, environmental performance, inclusion, and well-being while strengthening local identity and social cohesion.
The project will develop place-based solutions and innovative design models that integrate circular materials, nature-based elements, climate adaptation features, and low-maintenance design in eight pilot sites across Europe: Ajdovščina (Slovenia), İzmir (Turkey), Longford County (Ireland), Reșița (Romania), Reykjavík (Iceland), Wolin and Wrocław (Poland), and Upper Austria. The Pilot Sites act as living laboratories, engaging local communities, municipalities, and stakeholders in the co-creation of public spaces tailored to local needs and cultural contexts.
Beyond the pilots, CANVAS will deliver practical tools, open design guidelines, and recommendations for innovative public procurement and urban policy, enabling municipalities across Europe to create vibrant, inclusive, and climate-resilient public spaces.
Start: 09/2026
End: 08/2030
Funded by: European Commission/European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA)
Contact: Gudrun Haindlmaier
Keywords: Street Furniture, Public Space Transformation, New European Bauhaus, Co-Creation, Sustainable Design, Circular Materials, Nature-Based Solutions, Urban Innovation, Public Procurement, Climate Adaptation, Social Inclusion, Placemaking, and Cultural Heritage
Website: www.canvas-neb.eu
