From Ballina to Brussels: Shaping European Neighbourhoods at the NEB Festival 2026How community-led action, adaptive reuse and projects like Ripple and The Social Factory are bringing local Irish innovation to the European stage.

29 May 2026

At ACT, we believe that good design should give back more than it takes. We work across architecture, research and climate action to shape spaces that support communities and the environment. Having attended the festival in 2024, this commitment takes us back to Brussels this June for the 2026 Festival of the New European Bauhaus (NEB). The journey from our studio in the Ballina Innovation Quarter to Europe’s diplomatic and political hub reflects a growing movement: local, citizen-centred action is directly shaping European urban policy.

Aligning with a New European Vision

In May, the Council of the European Union adopted a major new recommendation on the New European Bauhaus: to build a resilient future, we must renovate and adapt our buildings over demolishing them. Doing is not only the low carbon option, it also preserves the heritage of our built environment. It is an approach that ACT champions through its projects. From small peripheral towns to urban centres, our work demonstrates how communities can lead the green transition when given the right tools.

Bringing Local Innovation to the European Stage

At this year's festival, themed 'Life. Spaces. Buildings.', we will be supporting live solutions that directly answer Europe's call for climate-resilient and socially just rural and urban development:

The Social Factory (Limerick): We are currently designing a concept to transform an underused industrial warehouse into a vibrant hub for young people. This project serves an example of how adaptive reuse can provide non-institutional spaces rooted in social care and wellbeing.

NEB-YC: Through this active European youth project, we are helping to support youth workers across five countries, including Ireland, design more sustainable, inclusive and beautiful places locally. The project is enabling youth workers and youth to co-design and physically reinvent their local youth centres.

Proven Community Impact

Our path to Brussels is built on community action. In 2023, Ripple (A.K.A The Paradise Garden) in Ballina won the prestigious New European Bauhaus Prize for 'Reconnecting with Nature' - Ireland’s first ever NEB award. Using water as a focus, 'Ripple' brought together a community, a visual artist and experts in architecture and engineering to shape and test this approach in Greenhills Estate, Ballina, Co. Mayo.

Dr. Sarah Cotterill and ACT's Rebecca O’Malley were thrilled to accept the award on behalf of the Ripple team, the community in Greenhills in Ballina and the many collaborators who contributed to the project.

The initiative was led by Orla Murphy, Dr Sarah Cotterill and Dr Philip Crowe from the UCD Centre for Irish Towns (CfIT). This work relied on close collaboration with artist Ríonach Ní Néill, Councillor Mark Duffy (Mayo County Council) and architect Kevin Loftus from Ballina - Ireland's Greenest Town. As one of fifteen projects funded by Creative Ireland’s Climate Action Fund, 'Ripple' demonstrated how local partnerships can tackle global challenges.

We want to prove that putting people front and centre builds genuine trust in local democratic processes. We are excited to bring these lessons, tools and stories back to the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels from 9 to 13 June.

If you are attending the festival, reach out to use beforehand to organise a coffee with our team and discuss how we can accelerate change together.