BIØN is a network of organisations active in low-impact building techniques. We aim to share knowledge, practices and experiences to contribute to the built environment and our communities. Listen in to our diverse European network when we share our perspectives on building with natural materials, creating circular designs and working closely with the local communities.

We are happy to announce to all friends of Bi0n that we now have set the date for the conference in Sweden. We will gather all partners and the knowledge from our 6 years of experimental building! So save the date and join us in Stockholm.

After four weeks of training, building, explaining, redesigning and sharing, it is finally possible to use the barbecue facilities that AK0 designed as output of the practical exercise of workshop Design and Build with Prefabricated Rammed Earth.

We have looked at allt the partners different approaches, lessons and aspirations on people-led development. By using the experiences from Bi0n I, the training conclude some ways for the partners to improve the placemaking process and further strengthen people-led development.

We are gathering the feedback from different actors that took part in building the cordwood building in Sweden in 2017. Revisiting the structure and recalling the work makes us proud of the communal effort, a true team completed it! It has been interesting to follow the development and especially how the building is a piece of a larger puzzle of locally produced food.

At a second level, this social dimension of the working group was reflected on the social dimension the projects brought to the local communities. Here factors such as hospitality, curiosity, helpfulness progressively contributed to overcome feelings of scepticism or even refuse. In those workshops were representatives of the beneficiary community were involved as trainees this dimension was particularly strong.

Placemaking is enabling and empowering people to create and participate in making places that they love and feel connected to.

– CoDesign Studio

The above description is borrowed from CoDesign studio. The work produced within this network is very much about placemaking, and finding alternative development paths. In this staff training session all partners focus on their own process and how to strengthen the placemaking strategies for each association.

The 6th International Degrowth Conference in Malmö, Sweden, titled “Dialogues in turbulent times” has taken place from August 21-25. It was organized by the Institute for degrowth studies. We took the opportunity to present our work and share our insights from placemaking and place-led development.

The first week of LearnBIØN course #3 Design and Build with Cordwood started on the 1st august with an introduction in Järna. The team was gathered with participants from 9 nationalities, all with unique skills that each one brings to the project.