Sustainability strategies and programs

The Innovation Portfolio Approach (IPA) is an innovative method that manages urban transitions through interconnected portfolios of projects instead of supporting isolated projects. Connecting cultural creativity with existential sustainability, IPA facilitates collaboration between authorities, cultural organizations, universities and communities, generating integrated solutions to complex urban challenges. Through the IPA approach, urban transformations become more resilient, addressing both external (technology, environment) and internal (values, collective visions) needs. It is an invitation to co-creation and engagement, redefining success through community impact and long-term sustainability.

Future DiverCities is a four-year project funded by the European Commission through the Creative Europe program. Within this project, organizations from eight European cities are leading ecological and cultural regeneration initiatives for unused urban spaces. In Timișoara—one of the eight participating cities, alongside Berlin, Zagreb, Liepaja, Kuopio, Marseille, Florence, and Athens—we developed the GreenFeel Pavilion as part of the Future DiverCities project. GreenFeel is a temporary and adaptable space designed to celebrate and protect nature. The project exemplifies collaborative resource management and community engagement. The land where GreenFeel is located is privately owned, but we transformed it into a community meeting space. Here, different generations explore and nurture their creativity and civic engagement by learning through gardening and building with natural materials. This innovative approach addresses the needs of Timișoara’s residents while promoting a model for impactful and temporary community spaces. GreenFeel thus becomes an example of how cities like Timișoara can inspire new ways of thinking about urban spaces and their role in fostering community cohesion.

The UniCredit Entrepreneurial Residency is a dear new initiative aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs and startups. So far we have implemented the project in Timisoara, Iasi and Cluj offering mentoring sessions, personalized consulting and a physical space for a pop-up wanting to be alongside those who follow their dreams and add value to the communities where they operate. We strongly believe that every idea has the potential to make a difference and our mission is to provide the support and encouragement needed to make this happen.

ONE.shirt is a social enterprise dedicated to integrating and supporting vulnerable individuals in the labor market. Through a zero-waste workshop, ONE.shirt develops practical and manual skills among these individuals by repurposing unwanted textiles, thereby reducing their negative environmental impact. The workshop promotes a sustainable approach to the fashion industry by transforming textile waste into unique, high-quality garments. Complementing this mission, the accessory brand WAESTE wear expands the sustainability concept by creating products from production scraps and unwanted textiles. This brand capitalizes on leftover materials from the production process, turning them into innovative and sustainable accessories that perfectly align with ONE.shirt's zero-waste philosophy. Together, ONE.shirt and WAESTE wear represent a blend of social inclusion and ecological responsibility, supporting the circular economy and inspiring positive change in communities and the textile industry. These initiatives demonstrate that a sustainable future is achievable through creativity, solidarity, and respect for the environment.

The pandemic has fundamentally changed us on all levels. It changed us on a personal level, it changed the way we relate to the world, to information, to people. It changed our businesses. It has changed our priorities. It has changed the way we think and relate to the idea of community. As a consequence of these changes, the pandemic has also highlighted a significant problem: the growing need for meeting spaces, individual work spaces and adaptable operating models. Our response to this problem was building.a.community. This project serves as a living laboratory and model of sustainability, providing a flexible space for creative entrepreneurs and social innovators. Utilizing recycled shipping containers and natural materials, buidling.a.community creates an environment conducive to collaboration and community activities, responding in this way to the needs and problems faced by the Timisoara community.

Cultural Creative Spaces and Cities was a transdisciplinary initiative that explored innovative ways to engage communities in urban development. With AMBASADA as the central hub for this project in Timișoara, we created a space for dialogue and collaboration where representatives of local administration, cultural and youth organizations, and community members came together to shape the future of the city. Over six months, through an urban laboratory, we hosted workshops, interviews, field visits, and co-creation sessions aimed at mapping opportunities for Timișoara residents to participate in urban development processes. The project resulted in proposals for local policies, tools for evaluating social impact, and strategies for transforming neighborhoods in sustainable and inclusive ways. This initiative demonstrated the power of collaboration between creative spaces and communities, highlighting AMBASADA’s role not just as a physical venue but as a platform for exchange and innovation. It became a place where ideas for more equitable and participatory cities came to life.