Theoretical Frameworks for URBIO Bauhaus and New European Bauhaus Biodiversity Integration.

Abstract

The integration of biodiversity into urban development has become a critical challenge for sustainable city planning, yet it remains insufficiently embedded within dominant design and policy frameworks. This article examines the theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, and emerging empirical insights of the URBIO Bauhaus project, an initiative that extends the New European Bauhaus (NEB) framework by explicitly positioning biodiversity as a core pillar alongside sustainability, aesthetics, and social inclusion. The study synthesizes key concepts informing biodiversity-centered urban design. The analysis highlights the relevance of biophilic city theory, urban ecosystem services, landscape ecology, and nature-based solutions, while emphasizing the importance of participatory methodologies such as Living Labs, co-creation, and the Quintuple Helix governance model. Case study evidence from transnational testing in Central European cities illustrates how universal biodiversity principles can be adapted to diverse socio-spatial contexts through collaborative BIOCENTUM nodes. The findings demonstrate that integrating ecological functionality with aesthetic quality and inclusive governance can enhance urban resilience, social well-being, and environmental stewardship.