In almost every European city, housing has become unaffordable for a growing number of people. But what is actually driving this crisis - and what would it take to change it?
A few weeks ago, we helped convene a roundtable with 22 key actors from the building sector to think through one of the most urgent challenges of our time: how to create sustainable, affordable housing and cities.
Now we’re able to share the first result: a 25-minute video of the key findings on three central aspects of the overall question of affordability:
- Pulls & Pressures: What pulls people to cities, while at the same time pushing others away
- Forms & Footprints: How can we transform existing housing stock sustainably?
- Keys & Queues: Who gets access when housing becomes scarce?
Watch the whole film here
Around a single table in Copenhagen, leading architects, economists, planners, developers, and housing experts came together - meeting across disciplines and geographic contexts. Reflecting how solving the crisis of affordability can only happen through collective solutions.
The roundtable and video is made for, and in collaboration with, Living Places Copenhagen and VELUX - who won the New European Bauhaus Prize for Affordable Housing in 2025 for their partnership with EFFEKT and Artelia Denmark.
Last week the film was shown at the New European Bauhaus Festival in Brussels and soon we’re ready to share a three-part podcast series, delving even deeper into the main questions with you!
We thank all the participants on the amazing panel: Kath Scanlon Bradley, Anne Mette Boye, Olaf Grawert, Lars Jensen, Finn Williams, Sinus Lynge, Steffen Maagaard, Dijkstra Draisma, Valérie Vermandel, Mads Rude, Mathias Nordby, Camilla Richter-Friis van Deurs, Line Thorup Schultz and Bent Madsen







