Day Two of the BAUHALPS Meeting: Pilot Projects Move from Planning to The second day of the BAUHALPS partner meeting in Lucerne was opened by Prof. Fabrizio Dini, who reminded us that every pilot follows a unique journey and that sharing both successes and challenges enables the entire consortium to learn and grow together.
The day was dedicated to reviewing the progress of the project’s pilot actions. Together, the presentations illustrated how the pilots have evolved from initial planning to implementation, while reflecting the diverse contexts and challenges faced across the Alpine region.
Although each pilot follows its own timeline, together they demonstrate how the BAUHALPS methodology is being applied in practice—from cultural heritage and public buildings to housing, tourism, and urban regeneration.
The updates began with the Swiss pilot, where Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts presented the latest progress of the Circular Time Lab. The project has now completed its second annual cycle. Following the first structures developed in 2025, architecture students worked together with apprentices from regional timber construction companies to reuse materials from the previous cycle and design and build three new structures.
The process demonstrated that reusing components is not always straightforward, as their dimensions and previous modifications strongly influence future possibilities. This year, greater emphasis was therefore placed on designing for multiple life cycles, involving timber engineers from the earliest design stages, and further improving the collaborative design process. The lessons learned will feed into the final implementation plan and future teaching activities.
The Slovenian partner, the Museum of Architecture and Design (MAO), reported an important shift in the pilot at Fužine Castle, from initial planning towards a more concrete participatory development process. Internal interviews with staff were carried out to better understand the museum’s daily operations, the movement of materials, exhibition installation processes, and the relationship between public, working, storage, and educational spaces. Another important milestone was the Info Day, which brought together architects, designers, cultural professionals, public institutions, local stakeholders, and the museum team. Based on these findings, the originally planned competition-style approach was replaced by a more continuous collaborative process, led by a selected architect and supported by an interdisciplinary group and representatives of the local community. The aim is to prepare a feasible concept for the gradual activation of the attic and to strengthen the connection between the castle, the park, the river, and the surrounding community.
The German partners presented the progress of the Micro Neighbourhood pilot in Dickenreishausen near Memmingen. Construction of the three timber residential buildings is now approaching completion, with interior works and landscaping currently underway. Within the pilot, local workshops were organised with the owner, planners, contractors, and residents to explore how smaller and adaptable homes, shared outdoor spaces, and carefully planned building placement could respond to rising construction and land costs. The project already includes several measures to reduce its environmental footprint, including removable foundations, the retention of materials on site, and adaptable layouts for different stages of life. Once construction is complete, the technical performance and the shared living model will be monitored, and the findings will be used to develop guidance for transferring the model to other locations.
The French partner Tenerrdis presented the progress of the hotel renovation pilot in Tignes. As the physical renovation has not yet started and the owner is still assessing financing options, the activities have so far focused mainly on developing possible solutions and involving key stakeholders. A one-day workshop with around 40 students was organised, during which participants developed proposals related to flexibility and modularity, better connections between the hotel and its surroundings, improved shared spaces, and accommodation for employees working in the resort. The next steps include further discussions with local authorities and the owner, as well as an assessment of how the proposed solutions could contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive long-term development of the area.
The Italian partner Chamber of Commerce of Padua reported that the implementation phase of its pilot has already begun. Alongside the ongoing construction activities, the partner is continuing to involve future users of the space. In cooperation with students, feedback was collected to better understand how the premises could be used more effectively in the future and adapted to different activities. The findings will be integrated into the next stages of planning and into the final pilot results, while further community engagement activities are also being prepared.
For the Italian Station for Transformation pilot, the partners have completed the mapping of key stakeholders and conducted interviews with the main actors connected to the area and to the future use of the building. The process has involved representatives of the city, educational institutions, cultural and artistic associations, and other local organisations. An initial meeting was also held to introduce the pilot and the BAUHALPS Toolkit to the stakeholders. The next steps include a joint site visit, a workshop with architects and local stakeholders, and further technical assessment of the sustainability aspects of the planned renovation.
The Austrian partner Innovation Salzburg identified a new location for the Weiterbauen – Keep on Building pilot after the originally selected project was discontinued in February. Although the physical renovation has not yet started, the pilot has already entered the planning phase. The partners have begun engaging stakeholders, preparing workshops, and examining different aspects of the BAUHALPS Toolkit that will support the further development of the project. During the meeting, they therefore emphasised that the pilot is already active in terms of content and planning, even though construction works have not yet begun.
The French partner CIRIDD reported that the first phase of the Urban Revitalisation Pilot – Saint Romain Le Puy began in May 2025. Further progress has been slowed by financial difficulties linked to the freezing of certain national, regional, and municipal funds. At the same time, the municipality had to respond to unexpected costs related to asbestos removal at a local school, which affected both the available budget and the project timeline. Despite these challenges, the partners are continuing their cooperation with the municipality and preparing activities that will be included in the pilot’s implementation plan.
The pilot presentations showed that progress is not uniform across all locations and that the projects are developing under very different conditions. Some are already in the construction or finalisation phase, while others are still developing feasible solutions due to financial, institutional, or ownership-related changes. These differences are particularly valuable for the project, as they allow the BAUHALPS Toolkit to be tested across different project stages and building types.
A significant part of the discussion was therefore also dedicated to the use of the BAUHALPS Toolkit itself. Experience from the pilots suggests that the tool is especially useful during the early stages of projects, when shaping strategies, engaging stakeholders, and defining project ambitions. At the same time, partners identified areas for further improvement, particularly in terms of clarity, user experience, accessibility, target-user definition, and the interpretation of results.
In the final part of the meeting, partners also reviewed progress in project and financial management, communication activities, and the preparation of final outputs. Particular attention was given to completing the implementation plans, aligning the remaining activities, and ensuring that the knowledge generated through the pilots remains useful beyond the formal end of the BAUHALPS project.
The meeting in Lucerne showed that the greatest value of the project lies not only in individual renovations or built structures, but also in the knowledge created through testing, collaboration, and the continuous adaptation of solutions to real-life conditions. These experiences will provide an important foundation for the further development of circular and inclusive construction across the Alpine region.