Beneath our feet: why soil deserves the spotlight
Soil is more than dirt—it’s the lifeblood of ecosystems, agriculture, and climate resilience. On this World Soil Day, we explore why protecting this vital resource is essential for a sustainable future. “Soil is home to more than one-quarter of our planet’s biodiversity. Yet, we know only 1% of this universe,” (FAO). Beneath our feet lies […]
Social innovations for delivering Blue and Green Infrastructure
Written by Jamie Coles Imagine a city. What do you see? Tower blocks, perhaps, cutting through the sky. Perhaps a grid of tarmac—streets choked with the droning of car traffic. But consider the spaces between these blocks—the parks that soak up rainwater to prevent floods, shaded paths that cool the air, mitigating urban heat islands. […]
Restoration for Resilience: Advancing Europe’s Ecosystem Recovery by 2050
Written by Jamie Coles Europe faces a critical environmental crisis: over 80% of its natural habitats are degraded, threatening wildlife, human well-being, economic stability, and the future of generations to come. Our societies and economies fundamentally rely on healthy ecosystems for services like clean air, water, food production, and climate regulation. The degradation of these […]
Urban Health: How cities influence chronic disease risk
We’re identifying and measuring the association between urban environment features and Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the HORUS project. How does the urban environment influence our health? Many factors related to our urban surroundings have an impact on our lifestyle choices, and therefore on our health. Studies show that up to 89% of our health is […]
Bax positions itself at the forefront of challenge-driven urban innovation with DUT partnership
Bax recently confirmed its commitment to progressing Europe’s sustainable urban future with the launch of a four-year collaboration with the Driving Urban Transitions (DUT) Partnership. The DUT Partnership is an intergovernmental research and innovation programme supporting much-needed urban transformation processes across Europe. It aims to strengthen capacities and tools to make urban change happen and […]
Revitalising Barcelona’s industrial Besòs district through healthy urban planning
Barcelona City Council has awarded Bax the opportunity to create an urban redevelopment strategy for one of the city’s biggest industrial districts. The neighbourhood surrounding the industrial zone is one of Barcelona’s most deprived areas, with a life expectancy 12 years below more affluent parts of the city. Our strategy imagines an Innovation District that […]
Human-centric urban design and active mobility create liveable cities
Written by Jamie Coles Imagine a city. What do you see? Tower blocks, perhaps, cutting through the sky. Perhaps a grid of tarmac—streets choked with the droning of car traffic. But consider the spaces between these blocks—the parks that soak up rainwater to prevent floods, shaded paths that cool the air, mitigating urban heat islands. […]
Supporting the Netherlands to look after its most important resource
In collaboration with Arcadis and 10 other Dutch partners, Bax is supporting the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management to advise on policy and implement projects on topics ranging from water accessibility to resource efficiency. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is responsible for much more than safe and accessible water. Its […]
Healthy Cities team win research award at international Healthy City Design Congress
Bax’s Healthy Cities team were invited to present at the Healthy City Design International Congress, showcasing their work on healthy city planning for more than 500 urban practitioners. The team’s work on the Healthy Cities Generator was awarded Best Research Paper of the Congress. Celebrating human-centred urban design The 2023 Healthy City Design International Congress […]
Creating a Global Center of Excellence on Adaptation; preparing COP22 and Climate summit
As requested by UNEP and on behalf of the Dutch government, Bax is supporting the creation of a Global Center of Excellence on Adaptation. State of the Art knowledge is to be deployed effectively to help the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement through Creation Action (upstream) and Managing Direction (downstream), developing and financing climate […]
