New European Bauhaus Prizes 2023

Initiative category

Identify the award category for which this initiative is being submitted
Shaping a circular industrial ecosystem and supporting life-cycle thinking

Email user
liene@skolniekspetniekspilsetnieks.lv

Basic information
Initiative title
Skolnieks Pētnieks Pilsētnieks (SPP)

Full initiative Title
Skolnieks Pētnieks Pilsētnieks (Learner Explorer City-dweller)

Please provide a short, catchy description of your initiative to be used in communication towards the public.
SPP is a free-spirited educational initiative about architecture, built environment and sustainable development. To educate future consumers of architecture. To foster more humane living. Founded in 2009 under the auspices of Latvian Association of Architects, SPP brings together architects who organise architecture workshops for children, students and teachers. SPP has developed its own unique approach, summarised in a methodological ‘Notebook’ and gradually incorporated into school curriculum.

What was the geographical scope of your intiative?
National

Where was your intiative implemented?
Member State(s) and Western Balkans
Latvia

If relevant, insert names of region(s)/municipality(ies) involved
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Does your initiative address mainly urban or rural issues?
Mainly urban

Does your initiative refer to a physical transformation of the built environment or other types of transformations (hard or soft investments)?
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)

Has your initiative benefited from EU programmes and/or funds?
No

Has your initiative won an EU prize with a monetary value awarded?
No

Does your initiative has a minimum level of maturity? The minimum level of maturity is exemplified by stakeholder/ initiative promoter commitment to implement the initiative in practice and a clear methodology /approach.
Yes

On whose behalf are you submitting the application?
As a representative of an organisation
Please provide the contact details for the project promoter (the individual or representative of the organisation authorised to represent the project)
- Name of the organisation(s): Latvijas Arhitektu Savienība (Latvian Association of Architects)
  Type of organisation: Non-profit organisation
  First name of representative: Liene
  Last name of representative: Gaujeniete
  Gender: Female
  Nationality: Latvia
  Function: SPP Project Coordinator
  Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: Torna iela 11
  Town: Riga
  Postal code: LV-1050
  Country: Latvia
  Direct Tel: +371 26 441 064
  E-mail: liene@skolniekspetniekspilsetnieks.lv
  Website: http://www.skolniekspetniekspilsetnieks.lv/
Social Media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc.)
- URL: https://www.facebook.com/latarh
- URL: https://www.instagram.com/latarh/
- URL: https://twitter.com/arhlat
In case my initiative is selected as a finalist of the NEB Prizes 2023, I agree to share the name (individual and/or organisation’s), email address, website and social media accounts indicated above with other NEB Prizes finalists. I also agree to publish the name (individual and/or organisation’s), website and social media accounts indicated above next to the public description of my initiative in the channels of the European Commission.
Yes

How did you hear about the New European Bauhaus Prizes?
Social Media

Description of the initiative
Please provide a summary of your initiative
Skolnieks Pētnieks Pilsētnieks or SPP for short means Learner Explorer City-dweller in Latvian. It is a free-spirited educational initiative about architecture, the built environment and sustainable development. SPP aims to:
> introduce the creation process of the built environment
> develop understanding of architecture and urban space
> develop spatial, multidimensional thinking
> create critically thinking future consumers of architecture
> create a well informed society willing to live more sustainably.
SPP was founded in 2009 and operates as a project of the Latvian Association of Architects. It brings together architects who organise workshops for children in the Architects house in Riga and schools across Latvia and even beyond. SPP has developed its own unique methodology and approach, it has been summarised in the ‘Notebook’ (2015) - a collection of 24 methods. Currently, SPP methodology about architecture is being gradually incorporated into school curriculum. As of 2022 Latvian children are learning about architecture in fields of Arts and Design and Technologies. SPP also cooperates with cities, municipalities and other public authorities to develop place-based workshops and incorporate youth voice in their work and planning processes. In addition participants of the SPP activities have chosen the winner of the children award in architecture ‘Zirnis’ (Pea) as part of the Latvian Architecture Awards for 11 years. SPP has also educated teachers on how to teach architecture and use the 'Notebook'.
In more than 13 years, SPP has developed around 50 methods to be used in schools and other setups, and has visited more than 50 schools across Latvia. Altogether more than 5500 people participated in activities organised by SPP. Close to 30 architects have been involved in the work of SPP. Since 2017 SPP has been a member of the International Union of Architects (IUA) Architecture & Children Built Environment Network.

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with 5 key words.
architecture

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
built environment

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
sustainable development

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
critical thinking

Please indicate the main themes of your initiative with key words
youth involvement

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of sustainability and how these have been/will be met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
In its work SPP puts architecture in the centre of the sustainable development model. Architecture, the part of the built environment that can be characterised as highly qualitative, balances the three basic elements defined already by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius - firmness, commodity and delight. Furthermore, it takes into consideration the context of place and space as well as is justifiable from the societal, economic and ecological perspective. In SPP work it is described as a ‘three wire thread’ that transfers humanity instead of electricity. Humanity for SPP is described as an equality of all living kinds. One of the three basic elements - firmness - sustainability or lasting - constitutes three further dimensions creating a sustainable humankind - society, economy and ecology. Every SPP method aims to address all three basic elements of architecture as well as three dimensions of sustainable development to the extent possible.
The ability of human cooperation is the cornerstone of a sustainable building. Therefore, SPP has created a method 'Neighbours' about co-living, 'Building & Energy' and 'Is it easy to last long?' to model sustainable development locally and globally.
This approach is the fundament for SPP process in general, as well as for the methodological framework SPP has created - the ‘Notebook’ (2015), cooperating with Latvian regions and municipalities (e.g. with Riga Planning Region, Cesis Municipality), as well as when being involved in defining the expected results of the school curriculum in architecture. To incorporate the accumulated experience and methodology into Latvian educational system has always been a strategic target of SPP. To strengthen the impact of SPP work, teachers, especially art teachers have been informed about and taught how to use SPP methodology. In that way sustainability is fully embedded and incorporated in every activity SPP carries out. Only to live in a more human way.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience for people (through design, positive emotions and cultural benefits) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Cultural education in Latvia is dominated by visual arts and music that have a tendency for individuality, decoration and two-dimensionality. SPP emphasizes architecture as art to foster structured and critical thinking, collaboration and most importantly - three dimensional thinking. In that way SPP approach enriches the curriculum for talented children in arts.
The 'Notebook' includes 24 methods altogether, architecture as art is one of the overarching themes besides basic elements of architecture and architecture in urban environments. Architecture as art is the most sizeable part with four topics - language of architecture, perception, composition and history. Delight, the third element defined by Vitruvius, has a dedicated workshop 'hunting details', while the most popular method developed by SPP is the 'Language of Architecture' addressing the three most important elements of artistic expression - rhythm, volume and space. These three elements both unites as well as distinguishes architecture from other art forms and each of those elements has a separate method dedicated to it.
On a practical level, a prerequisite and self-evident part of SPP work has been to deliver a high quality design experience. Time investment has been made to deliver not only practically useful methods and tasks, but to prepare materials that are visually appealing. SPP identity and the design of the 'Notebook' has been developed by the internationally known Latvian design studio 'H2E'.
Participants of SPP workshops appreciate and enjoy workshops as they not only learn a lot, but experience joy, have fun and work creatively while cooperating with architects.
The combination of spatial, three-dimensional thinking and attention to details and aesthetics of work is a unique approach in Latvian scene of education. It is aiming for future generations that develop taste for architecture and living environments that are both sustainable, commonly inhabited and beautiful.

Please give information about the key objectives of your initiative in terms of inclusion (ranging from accessibility and affordability for all to inclusive governing systems, design for all principles or new societal models) and how these have been met. Please highlight how the initiative can be exemplary in this context.
Since the foundation of the SPP initiative, it's been available for free. For the first year, SPP operated as a volunteer project. At this stage, SPP is receiving regular funding from public and private organisations in Latvia. Thanks to received grants, SPP project management and work of architects can be financed while children all across Latvia have access to architecture education. Currently, SPP work is funded by the State Cultural Capital Foundation, it is included in the educational programme of Riga City Architects` Office as well as in the ‘Latvian School Bag’ programme funded by the Latvian National Centre for Culture. SPP is also contracted by public authorities like municipalities or planning regions to be involved in specific workshops for children. As SPP is already funded by tax-payers money, commercialization of SPP activities is out of the question.
Although the main target group of SPP activities are school-children in grades 3-9, SPP also has developed methods for different age groups and cross-generational cooperation. Workshop ‘Den’ is created for kindergarten, ‘I hope I will have a garden one day’ fosters collaboration among children and seniors. SPP tutors visit public and private schools as well as schools for children with special needs.
In terms of geographic coverage, SPP aims to visit various schools across Latvia. While located in Riga, SPP team is visiting towns all around the country from Liepaja to Daugavpils, but also the countryside. Last year the SPP team joined a two-day workshop in Ludza, a small town close to Latvian-Russian border. When the plan for workshops is developed for each school year a balanced approach is aimed for.
In addition to the development of methods about architecture for incorporation in the school curriculum, SPP has educated more than 250 teachers to ensure longevity and ensure that the developed approach is more widely accessible and living independently without direct involvement of SPP architects.

Please explain the way citizens benefiting from or affected by the initiative and civil society have been/will be involved in the initiative and what has been/will be the impact of this involvement on the initiative
Children who have participated in SPP’s activities develop a better understanding of high-quality architecture, built environment and sustainability. Furthermore, one of the cornerstones for the SPP’s approach is to strengthen critical thinking. Applying and training it in such a complex setting as architecture, allows it to transfer to other fields of life. By being involved in SPP, the participating architects have also learned themselves - to discuss, to argue, to cooperate. As admitted by one of the SPP architects: “the hours-long arguments about the ethics and values of architects’ profession have been worth it, I have clearly formulated them for myself”.
SPP is communicated from heart to heart, the word is spread by participants. Participants of SPP’s activities become 'agents' educating their friends in the subtle art of the built environment. SPP works with children and youth, but also with seniors and even the president of Latvia has participated in SPP’s workshop. SPP regularly invites its recipients to write reviews that are collected on the SPP’s website (http://www.skolniekspetniekspilsetnieks.lv/jus/) under six categories: scholars, teachers, parents, students, partners, media.
SPP provides the opportunity 'to meet a REAL architect'. It allows one to better understand the architect's occupation, excitements and challenges. This is why SPP visits schools with workshops and since 2014 organises extracurricular activities throughout the school year. In addition, SPP has been involved to help include youth voices in planning processes in multiple municipalities. In Riga together with SPP children have proposed more human-friendly public squares, in Cesis children envisioned various usages for Gauja National Park - a protected nature area along the river. By creating space for inclusion of various opinions and needs, SPP contributes to liveable communities.

Please explain how different stakeholders at various levels (local, regional, national, European) were engaged in the design and implementation of the initiative.
SPP started in 2009 as a reaction to the Great Recession reducing the workload for architects. Therefore, architects - practitioners have been the heart and key stakeholders of the SPP initiative. The newly and unexpectedly earned free time of architects was invested in educating society and children more specifically. Throughout its journey SPP has evolved and synergized from interaction with its contracting entities and participants. Well targeted communication with additional word-of-mouth communication has helped to gain trust and attract partners and supporters.
Although the main stakeholders of SPP activities are children and youth, SPP activities involve various age groups and seeks for a balanced geographic coverage. By visiting schools in the countryside and smaller towns SPP workshops can bring added value to local communities. In 2011 SPP workshop ‘Square for me’ was organised in front of Riga castle and the president of Latvia took part.
SPP has cooperated with civil servants over the years. The ‘Notebook’ was developed jointly with Latvian National Centre for Culture. The inclusion of the SPP workshops in the Latvian School Bag was in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. SPP worked jointly with the National Centre for Education (under the Ministry of Education and Science) to develop the new school curriculum that includes architecture.
Since 2017 SPP has become a part of the International Union of Architects (IUA) Architecture & Children Built Environment Network, which has allowed SPP to interact more in depth with architecture initiatives working with children across the globe and mutually learn, e.g. by participating in international conferences: ‘Room for Children in the City’ in Sweden (2016) and the Ludantia in Pontevedra, Spain (2018). The first SPP workshop outside Latvia was ‘Language of Architecture’ and it took place in Orixe Ikastola, San Sebastian, Spain in 2021 as part of the international Basque Architecture Biennale.

Please explain which disciplines and/ or knowledge fields were reflected in the design and implementation of your initiative. Please explain how representatives of these different fields interacted with each other, and what the added value of this process was
As diverse and multidisciplinary is the field of architecture, as diverse have been the knowledge fields included in the creation and implementation of SPP. In the SPP approach, architecture itself is perceived as art, as a design process, as a way towards sustainable development, as a social process for more humane living. Consequently these knowledge fields have fed into the work of SPP and stakeholders from these fields have contributed to the design and implementation of SPP.
SPP makes an effort to share this knowledge further and integrate it into school and vocational curriculums. As an educational initiative SPP brings these various knowledge fields to teachers. SPP has interacted and shared its knowledge with experts involved in museum pedagogy. In its latest achievement - lesson plans to teach about architecture in schools (developed as part of SKOLA 2030 project) SPP proposes a structure where comparison is built between gradual building of self awareness in society and the scales of built environment around individuals. Understanding oneself could be aligned with building your own room and recognising architectural elements. Being a part of a family could be associated with creating a living environment/home to jointly inhabit and as well as to balance basic elements of architecture. And lastly being part of the society is somehow similar to being part of and understanding cities and urban environments which requires balancing the three basic architectural elements with sustainable development dimensions. This approach requires constant cross-sectoral thinking.

Please highlight the innovative character of the initiative, when compared to mainstream actions in the field of the initiative
SPP is a unique initiative to educate children about architecture in Latvia. It still lacks alternatives of the same scope and similar approach addressing architecture in a wider societal and sustainability perspective. It is the only initiative in Latvia providing a platform for children to meet architects - practitioners.
SPP itself has worked towards embedding its approach in the mainstream and cultural education systems in Latvia. Firstly, arts teachers have been educated to use the ‘Notebook’ and there are few art schools across Latvia following it to teach enrolled students about architecture besides other more two-dimensional arts. Secondly, with the input from SPP architecture has been incorporated in two fields of Latvian school curriculum - Self-expression in arts and Design and Technologies. These two steps have been crucial towards a well-informed general public, however, they do not substitute the essence of SPP - interacting with a ‘real’ architect.

Please describe which elements of your initiative could be replicated or transferred to other places, groups of beneficiaries and contexts. This may involve, for example, aspects of the methodology, technology, processes, products, learnings, etc.
The methods SPP uses are well described, many are published. Architecture and built environment are place and context specific, however, the good practices follow universal principles. The core of SPP methodology about the fundamentals of architecture could be translated to other languages and thought world-wide. Since early phases of SPP initiative an operational model has been developed that could also be replicated in full scale or partly:
> Monthly visits to schools with architect led workshops
> Bimonthly extracurricular activity about architecture throughout the school year following the 'Notebook'
> SPP has developed a methodology to choose the children award in architecture 'Zirnis' (Pea) as part of the Latvian Architecture Award. (The winners: http://www.skolniekspetniekspilsetnieks.lv/zirnis/)
> Celebration of World Architecture Day by educating teachers on how to teach architectures and/or organising performances to increase interest in architectural education
> SPP model can be transferred to other fields of culture
> SPP methods could serve as design thinking tools for problem solving.
SPP has developed lesson plans for the recently revised Latvian school curriculum. Seven topics have been included in the visual arts field and three modules have been included in the design and technologies field. Also these lesson plans can be replicated to other countries.

Please describe the methodology or approach used in your initiative.
SPP approach teaches structured and spatial thinking, trains argumentation and cooperation skills. While developing understanding about architecture and the built environment. While training future contractors and consumers of architecture. While playing. While discovering a secret. While filling a task following certain limitation(s). SPP started as an open minded movement, but developed into a systemic fundamental model to perceive and enhance sustainability.
The main product of SPP is a workshop. Most of the workshops follow the same principle - starting with a lecture about theory followed by practical exercise in a small team assisted by architects and concluded by a presentation of the achieved results. Close interaction with an architect in each group is the key. A typical classroom with 30 children would be visited by a team of 5-6 SPP architects. SPP emphasized the necessity for collaboration long before it became mainstream in schools.
The main formats of work:
> Extracurricular activities in the House of Architects in Riga - a series of 16 workshops for children interested in architecture throughout the school year
> Bi-monthly workshops in schools around Latvia
> Cooperation with public authorities on youth involvement
> Developing new methods, e.g., about H. Frank’s installation ‘the Dragon-Rhinoceros inside is the Rhino or vice-versa’ for RIBOCA (https://www.rigabiennial.com/en/education/education-kits/the-dragon-rhino)
> Exhibitions and performances.
Typically, a workshop lasts from two to four hours, but it can take up the whole day or a series of workshops can be organised as well. Schools and teachers reach out to SPP`s coordinator to organise a workshop.
The ultimate end result - more humane relationships because of a more understanding perspective of the built environment. General public well-informed about architecture is one of the aims within the national architecture policy in Latvia and SPP contributes toward this target.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the initiative addresses by providing local solutions
Sustainability is cross-cutting and overarching throughout every SPP`s activity and one of the aims for SPP is to educate a more sustainable future society. As a result, many SPP workshops are practically addressing climate change and looking for solutions. ‘Building & Energy’ explores solutions for most appropriate localised energy production, while ‘Is it easy to be long?’ showcases why purely economic interests cannot ensure balanced life and how more sustainable economic models could be introduced. In addition, the overconsumption is a pressing challenge to be addressed. SPP always has a limitation in its workshops in that way showcasing the global limited resources challenge. During workshop ‘My home’ a dream house of each participant has to be built with limited resources.
Furthermore, in SPP workshops, maintaining and safe-guarding the cultural heritage are important tasks. During ‘Heritage is a Good’ the fourth dimension is added to the sustainable development concept - besides economy, society and environment, culture is introduced. It means looking for the unique and special about every place and space. The task is to balance the four dimensions, understand the interconnections and interdependencies of these dimensions and acknowledge them in the local urban environments. In many Latvian towns cultural heritage is an important prerequisite for economic development and smart specialisation, SPP intends to enhance all these various aspects towards a circular economy.
Every SPP workshop starts with a short lecture with insights in theory about a particular topic. This is another way and place to show the best examples from all around the world to address various urban challenges and encourage children to apply the seen examples in the local context.

Please detail the scope of progress in the implementation of the initiative. This can include already demonstrated results/outputs related to the chosen Prizes category, and the already achieved benefits from the initiative for direct and indirect beneficiaries. This can also include a development plan of the initiative, with a particular attention to the steps envisaged in the year following the application, and including envisaged results and benefits from the initiative
SPP was founded in 2009. Since then more than 50 methods have been elaborated. More than 3500 children have been visited in classrooms and more than 2000 outside the classrooms have benefited from SPP activities. For eight seasons extracurricular activities in architecture have taken place. 11 ‘Pea’ awards have been chosen. SPP has educated more than 250 teachers. The work of SPP has served as a basis to include architecture in the new school curriculum in Latvia. Multiple exhibitions and performances have been organised. More than 30 architects have been involved.
SPP started as a volunteer project, but has gained a solid foundation for its work. SPP was supported by Soros Foundation Latvia in 2011 and by the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Latvia in 2012. 2015 - 2018 SPP has been supported by LCC Krāsu Serviss. Since 2012 the State Culture Capital Foundation has regularly supported SPP activities via its projects. Since 2015 the Municipality of Riga has funded activities for children in Riga.
These SPP activities have educated society members willing to live more sustainably, equipped with tools to be more innovative in the future. Participants of SPP workshops will be willing to shape and request built environments that balance all sustainability dimensions and respect nature. They serve as agents using word of mouth communication and spreading the knowledge gained further to their families and friends. As a result a wider society has become a beneficiary of the SPP initiative.

Please provide documents that demonstrate the maturity level of the initiative and commitment to implement the initiative in practice (e.g.: evaluation report, final or mid-term initiative report, certification, publications, building permit, grant agreement, letter of support, partnership agreement, etc.)
Both
PDF
Web link
If relevant, please describe how your initiative contributes to developing new competences, especially in the context of the European competence framework on sustainability.
SPP initiative enhances competences from all four areas. Architecture is a complex field and training about the built environment allows one to learn various skills that are necessary to enhance sustainability. SPP fosters next generations willing to live more sustainability in that way addressing the valuing sustainability competence of the Embodying sustainability values area. The embracing complexity in sustainability is exercised in every SPP workshop. Interactions and context are very important in architecture, so is the journey towards the most fitting solution. SPP workshops train systems and critical thinking as well as problem framing. The creativity of SPP workshops also contributes to the area of Envisioning sustainable futures. Many of the workshops set certain limitations or suggest backward thinking from the most extreme scenarios, hence adaptability and exploratory thinking is strengthened. And lastly, SPP workshops improve cooperation skills and are often built in cooperation with municipalities providing possibility for Acting for sustainability.
Please attach at least 6 high resolution images or visual representations of your initiative to your application.
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Yes

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By submitting your application, you acknowledge that you read and understand that the ‘Guide to Applicants’ of the NEB Prizes 2023, available online in the website of the NEB Prizes 2023, is an integral part of this application form and that it must therefore be observed when completing and submitting your application.
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