Bauhaus Bites

Circle-rotated-2

Project Led By:

Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Type of Project:

Horizon Europe (Grant Agreement number 101182352)

Launch Date:

January 2025

Completed or Ongoing:

Ongoing (3-year project between 2024-2027)

Project Summary:

As a Trailblazer city, Birmingham is at the forefront of a European movement to reimagine how cities approach food. The project builds on local research and initiatives, including the East Birmingham Food System Exploration and the Culturally Diverse Eating Guidance. Four interlinked interventions—social food spaces, nature-based growing, food literacy, and sustainable cooking—will be co-created with local communities. These efforts aim to celebrate Birmingham’s cultural diversity, improve health outcomes, and create a replicable model for inclusive, sustainable urban food systems.

Audience:

Local communities in East Birmingham, particularly vulnerable and underrepresented groups; public health professionals; educators; food system stakeholders; local businesses; and European policymakers.

Project Collaboration:

Birmingham’s participation in Bauhaus Bites is supported by a strong network of local and national partners across the public and private sectors. These include community champions, schools, faith-based organisations, public health teams, local food providers, and cultural institutions, all contributing to a shared vision for a healthier, more inclusive food system.

Internationally, the project brings together 15 partners from across Europe. Alongside Birmingham, the cities of Fundão (Portugal) and Zagreb (Croatia) serve as Trailblazers—leading the development of innovative food environment models. These are then adapted and replicated by four Twin cities: Murska Sobota (Slovenia), Ostend (Belgium), Palermo (Italy), and Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina). The consortium also includes WWF (Sweden, Adria, Portugal), Copenhagen University, Gehl Architects, the EAT Foundation, and other research and civic organisations.

For more information please see the Bauhaus Bites website by clicking the following link: Bauhaus – About – Bauhaus

Project Goals:

Bauhaus Bites aims to transform urban food environments by embedding the values of the New European Bauhaus—sustainability, inclusivity, and beauty—into local food systems. In Birmingham, the project focuses on East Birmingham, where it seeks to address food insecurity, health disparities, and social fragmentation through community-led, culturally sensitive, and nature-based interventions. The goal is to empower residents to access, grow, prepare, and enjoy healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant food, while enhancing community cohesion and environmental resilience.

Benefits of the Project:

Bauhaus Bites will deliver tangible improvements to East Birmingham’s food environment by:

  • Increasing access to nutritious, affordable, and culturally appropriate food.
  • Enhancing green spaces through community growing initiatives.
  • Promoting food literacy and intergenerational learning.
  • Empowering local champions and food providers.
  • Strengthening social cohesion and a sense of belonging.

Contributing to Birmingham’s wider Food System Strategy and aligning with European sustainability goals.

Project Events/Research:

The Birmingham pilot includes:

  • Local stakeholder workshops and advisory teams to guide implementation.
  • Community-led pilots in growing, cooking, and food literacy.
  • Celebratory kick-off events and peer learning exchanges with other cities.
  • Development of a long-term strategy plan and contribution to the BB Playbook—a practical guide for replication across Europe.

Ongoing monitoring and evaluation to promote good practice and future evidence-base working.

 

Latest developments of the project:

Project partners met in Fundão, Portugal in June 2025. Read more here: Birmingham joins Bauhaus Bites partners in Portugal to shape greener, fairer cities

Bauhaus Bites partners met in November 2024 in Zagreb for the project kick off meeting. Learn all about it here: Bauhaus Bites project launches in Zagreb with a focus on sustainable urban food systems

Project Feedback (if completed):