Stara Zagora Explores NEB-Inspired Urban Renewal

As part of the NEBA project’s ongoing efforts to integrate the principles of beauty, sustainability, and togetherness into regional planning, the city of Stara Zagora hosted its second local stakeholder meeting on March 12, 2025. The meeting brought together representatives from local institutions, environmental authorities, professional associations, civic organisations, and municipal leadership to reflect on progress and draw inspiration from European peers.

Sharing Inspiration from Turin

During the event, the project team presented the good practices and experience of the city of Turin, Italy in integrating the values and principles of the New European Bauhaus into the sustainable development of the city and into innovative urban solutions. City areas and buildings with expired purposes and functions were presented, which were given new life through a complete transformation and development of new businesses and social activities. The objects were renovated in the spirit of the three main values of the New European Bauhaus - sustainability, aesthetics and inclusion of the local community.

Interest was aroused by a project implemented by the Municipality of Turin to activate broad public participation in the face of civil and business associations, the academic community, associations and NGOs. The goal of the project is to renew neglected green areas and the green infrastructure of the city with the voluntary participation of citizens of different social status, culture and origin. The project successfully formed the sense of belonging and commitment of citizens to a good public cause related to the care of nature and the urban environment in which we live.

Embedding NEB in Local Policy

In addition, during the meeting, emphasis was placed on the inclusion of the elements of the New European Bauhaus in the specific criteria set by the Municipality of Stara Zagora for the selection of project ideas and implementation of investment projects financed under the Regional Development Program. This approach of the Municipality of Stara Zagora ensures the application of the principles of the New European Bauhaus in the renovation of public and private buildings, road and green infrastructure and other elements of the urban environment. In contrast to the first meeting on the project, Bulgaria's progress in the implementation and inclusion of the New European Bauhaus in the regulatory framework and policies for urban development and regional planning was reported.

Local Ideas and Priorities

The topic of the meeting and the materials presented generated an active discussion among the participants, as well as good ideas related to the development and renovation of emblematic buildings and sites of cultural and historical significance in the city of Stara Zagora, such as the Post Office building, the observatory in Ayazmo Park, and others. The idea of renovating the schoolyards in the city with the aim of creating conditions for green practices and returning children to nature and an environmentally friendly lifestyle was very original. The idea is in contrast to the widespread obsession of adolescents with social networks and the digital world.