COL3NATUR International Week: architecture, nature and Industrialisation for resilient educational environments

The COL3NATUR International Week is a multidisciplinary event developed within the Interreg SUDOE project “COL3NATUR: renaturalisation of buildings, schoolyards and school pathways for climate change adaptation”. The event is focuses on how nature-based solutions in school-built environments can generate environmental, social and economic value and long-term returns on investment for communities, public authorities and businesses.

Bringing together researchers, public authorities, industry and other key stakeholders, the event explores how schools can act as living laboratories for investing in nature. The programme also highlights the role of industrialised and prefabricated solutions, such as green roofs and façades, modular systems and urban furniture, to enable the efficient, cost-effective and sustainable implementation of nature-based solutions in a scalable and replicable way.

The event is structured in thematic sessions linking architecture to education, health and wellbeing, biodiversity and industrialisation. One day is specifically dedicated to dialogue with companies from the construction sector presenting prefabricated systems and innovative solutions supporting the integration of nature-based solutions, while exploring how these approaches can foster innovation, support responsible uptake and create long-term value without losing sight of environmental integrity and public benefit.

The programme includes case studies, expert lectures, roundtables and site visits to pilot projects in Pamplona, Spain and Bayonne, France, alongside interactive sessions and networking opportunities that foster collaboration across disciplines and regions.

In addition, the event is linked to the International Summer Course 2026 (Interreg SUDOE COL3NATUR), where invited students from Spain, France and Portugal design a nature-based industrialised prototype for school buildings, playgrounds and pathways, promoting a multidisciplinary approach.

By connecting education, research and industry, the COL3NATUR International Week aims to highlight the need to renature schools as a key opportunity for investing in nature, creating innovation and market opportunities for businesses and contributing to more resilient, inclusive and sustainable cities.