Circular Material Strategies for Temporary Urban Interiors: Reframing Micro-Scale Design Through the New European Bauhaus ^†

Urban interiors—particularly semi-public, transitional, and transient environments—have been largely overlooked in academic discourse and policy frameworks. This results from the longstanding focus of urban sustainability research on building-scale interventions and open public spaces. This research explores how transient urban interiors can serve as venues for achieving the sustainability, aesthetic, and inclusivity ideals of the New European Bauhaus (NEB). By focusing on micro-scale spatial practices, the study addresses a critical gap in understanding temporary interiors as dynamic and adaptable environments. It proposes actionable design strategies that align with circular economy principles and support sustainable urban living while contributing to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These include Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, by reimagining micro-scale interiors as inclusive and community-driven spaces; Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, through the integration of circular material strategies and low-impact construction; and Goal 13: Climate Action, by reducing environmental footprints through temporary, low-carbon spatial interventions.

Ephemeral interior settings—such as pop-up learning spaces, cultural micro-installations, and post-disaster relief interiors—represent emerging urban conditions that challenge conventional notions of permanence. Despite their increasing relevance, they remain peripheral to mainstream urban sustainability models. This study reframes them as critical interfaces where ecological, social, and design agendas intersect. Their impermanence offers opportunities to experiment with innovative materials and spatial configurations that minimize environmental impact, advancing SDG targets related to urban inclusivity, material innovation, and climate-conscious design.

The study develops a conceptual framework grounded in circular material strategies and situated at the intersection of material design, urban temporality, and micro-scale spatial practices. Rather than relying on a single case study, it constructs a typology of design approaches through literature review, precedent mapping, and NEB-aligned project analysis. Design criteria include modularity, disassembly, lightweight structures, local and low-impact materials, and multisensory spatial experience.

This research contributes by reframing transient urban interiors as inclusive, dynamic, and low-carbon microenvironments capable of advancing the goals of the European Green Deal. Rather than being viewed as merely provisional, these interiors are proposed as experimental testbeds for sustainable, aesthetically compelling, and people-centered urban futures. By focusing on material circularity and micro-spatial innovation, the study offers a transdisciplinary model for turning transient interiors into enduring cultural assets aligned with broader societal objectives, including key targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—particularly in the areas of sustainable urbanization, responsible production, and climate-conscious design.