From 9 to 12 June 2026, Bauhaus of the Seas Sails participated in the third New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels. Building on its presence at the 2024 edition, this edition we returned with an expanded programme comprising an interactive stand as part of the exhibition FAIR, a hands-on tile making workshop and a joint session with the six original New European Bauhaus Lighthouse Demonstrators.

Throughout the festival, the Bauhaus of the Seas Sails stand welcomed a wide range of visitors, collaborators and changemakers, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of the European Council António Costa. The stand focused on “From the Tagus to the Tile”, a Lisbon pilot residency project developed by Fahrenheit Works as part of the project’s Blue Makerspace drop.

The installation reinterpreted Lisbon’s iconic azulejo tiles using innovative biomaterials made from discarded oyster shells and seaweed-based pigments. Through a tactile display, visitors were invited to examine the materials, prototypes and creative processes behind the project. The installation demonstrated how marine resources and circular design principles can inspire new approaches to cultural heritage while supporting sustainable and regenerative practices.

On 11 June, Bauhaus of the Seas Sails hosted the same-titled workshop “From the Tagus to the Tile”, led by Fahrenheit Works together with members of the consortium involved in the Lisbon pilot. The session allowed participants to explore how oyster-shell waste can be transformed into innovative objects and tiles. The hands-on format encouraged direct engagement with the tools like tile molds and materials such as oyster powder and pigments, developed through the residency.

The festival also created valuable opportunities to communicate the project’s work to wider audiences. Representatives of Bauhaus of the Seas Sails gave interviews to European media, sharing the project’s experience of combining creative practice, circular innovation and community-based approaches in coastal territories.

Another important moment was the launch of the NEB Ocean, Coastal and Island Communities Lab. Bauhaus of the Seas Sails celebrated the initiative alongside its partners TBA21, Instituto Superior Técnico, Câmara Municipal de Oeiras and the New European Bauhaus team. The new Lab will help strengthen cooperation and knowledge exchange among communities working to address the distinct challenges and opportunities of ocean, coastal and island territories.

The week concluded with “NEB Lighthouses: Mapping Impact Across Systems & Places”, a joint session bringing together the six original New European Bauhaus Lighthouse Demonstrators: Bauhaus of the Seas Sails, NEBourhoods, EHHUR – Eyes Hearts Hands Urban Revolution, DESIRE, NEB-STAR and Cultuur&Campus Putselaan.

During the session, the projects shared key achievements and reflected on the lasting legacy of these pioneering initiatives. The discussion examined how the Lighthouse Demonstrators have developed methodologies, tested place-based innovation and contributed to long-term territorial transformation across Europe. It also highlighted transferable lessons and approaches that can be adapted and replicated by other cities and regions.

Participation in the 2026 festival offered Bauhaus of the Seas Sails an important opportunity to present tangible project results, connect with engaged audiences and renew relationships across the New European Bauhaus community. It also reaffirmed the project’s role as an original NEB Lighthouse Demonstrator and its commitment to showing how coastal communities, creative practices and circular design can work together to shape more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful futures rooted in local ecosystems and identities.