MEDS Cierzo is a movement of young architects and designers that originated in the Las Fuentes district of Zaragoza. Its goal is to harness the creative work of emerging professionals to revitalize urban environments in line with the values of the New European Bauhaus: sustainability, beauty, and inclusion.
To understand the origins of this collective, we must go back to the year 2022, when this district of Zaragoza—located to the east, on the right bank of the Ebro River—was selected to host an international gathering that brought together professionals skilled in diverse construction techniques, abilities, traditions, and styles of urban planning.
Las Fuentes was chosen for its significant working-class heritage, as well as for the characteristics of its neighborhood, which, despite having a high average age, is deeply engaged in social initiatives and activities that keep the community and its social ties alive, as well as its sense of belonging.
More than 100 young people participated in this event, seeking to develop a plan to revitalize public markets that are disappearing from cities. Thanks to the Ignite and Grow NEB programs of the New European Bauhaus Community at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, this initiative has grown in recent years from a temporary workshop into a startup based on a prototype called KIDCHEN.
It is a modular and sustainable kitchen model that combines the following objectives:
- strengthen the neighborhood’s identity,
- improve spatial and social connections,
- promote high-quality local products, and
- implement circular economy strategies.
This prototype has made it possible to organize events, school cooking workshops, and exhibitions in which more than 6,000 people have participated. This is due to its high adaptability to different contexts, as well as its replicability; in other words, it is capable of transforming underutilized public spaces into shared, inclusive community environments that cater to a variety of needs.
These characteristics, along with the MEDS Cierzo association’s commitment to interdisciplinary working models, make it an exemplary NEB project that brings together best practices and is effectively implemented on the ground.
Other MEDS Cierzo Projects
During the first MEDS Cierzo workshop in Zaragoza, other urban regeneration initiatives tailored for children and seniors were also carried out, such as:
- Stand still. This project uses recycled plastic to create colorful boards that residents of Las Fuentes can use to gather, read, paint, or host a community meal.
- Light it up! This activity involved designing lamps for local neighborhood shops. It was based on experimental and performative design.
- Wind Pavilion. Constructed from wood, bamboo, and ropes, this pavilion reflects on the transition between nature and humanity, as well as on the sound of the cierzo—the strong, gusty wind characteristic of the area.
