Natural Happiness - Living in playground
The project based BIP Natural Happiness - Living in playground explores physical and social environments in multidisciplinary approach in order to improve public spaces and promote natural happiness (rather than artificial happiness).
The project based BIP Natural Happiness - Living in playground explores physical and social environments in multidisciplinary approach in order to improve understanding of the health and well-being of ecosystems and humans and setting up proposals for intervention in the public space that promote natural happiness (rather than artificial happiness), individual and collective well-being, creating dynamics on living spaces that involve the community, encouraging their direct participation in its preservation and development.
How? By creating poetic and sensory narratives, always in harmony with the surrounding urban landscape, integrating the designed solutions with existing infrastructure, such as pedestrian paths. By incorporating nature and features that engage the senses and invite interaction, lending character to a space, encourage community engagement, and create a sense of place and a sense of belonging.
16th of March 2026 to 24th of April 2026
English
To be defined by each home higher education institutions.
All RUN-EU degree students, primarily students in design, landscape and built environment.
Application for this product is not yet possible.
Proposed application opening date: 2nd of January 2026
Programme at a glance
Introduction to course leaders and BIP (live)
Caldas da Rainha – know your way around
MONDAY MARCH 23 | 09:00 (CET Time)
Autonomous; Lecture 30m + 2h; Landscape character analysis (LCA) and sustainable criteria + exercise
Lecture 30m + 2h
Socio-ecological systems + exercise
FRIDAY MARCH 27 | 9:00 (CET Time)
Autonomous; Lecture 30m + 2h; Collaborative Design criteria + exercise
Lecture 30m + 2h
Creative Thinking + exercise
MONDAY APRIL 6 | 9:00 (CET Time)
Autonomous; Lecture 30m + 2h
Colour Atmospheres + exercise
Lecture 30m + 2h
The City as a Natural Playground
9.00 - Welcome session 1h 30m - “find your way at ESAD CR” + program goal
10:30 | Lecture 30m - SES - systems
After outlining the principles of SES we focus on the project area.
11:00 | Lecture 30m | Relevance of qualifying public spaces for citizens' well-being.
12:00 | Lecture 1h
Caldas da Rainha - Site presentation
13:00 Lunch
14:00 | Site visit + visit to Bordallo Pinheiro Museum 4h
TUESDAY APRIL 14
9:00 | Team definition + Workshop and supervising teamwork 1h 30m
Landscape analysis (all together)
Collective brainstorm (by collaborative teamwork)
Create your Concept (ideation, narrative / story telling – Text / mood board / sketchbook)
10:30 | Q&A + discussion 45m
11:15 | Field trip 2h Paúl da Tornada
13h15 Lunch
14:30 | Lecture 30m - Surprise guest
15:00 | Site visit or research or workshop / teamwork 2h30m
WEDNESDAY APRIL 15
9:00 | Workshop and supervising teamwork 2h30m Create solutions and rapid prototyping (by sketching, digital or model-building). Validate or refresh your solutions (collaborative teamwork)
11:30 | Lecture 30m - Surprise guest
12:00 | Briefings (Q&A, daily reflections) 1h
13:00 Lunch
14:00 | Site visit or research or teamwork 3h30m
THURSDAY APRIL 16
9:00 | Site visit or research or teamwork. 2h
11:00 | Workshop and supervising teamwork 2h
Create solutions and rapid prototyping (by sketching, digital or model-building). Validate or refresh your solutions (collaborative teamwork).
13:00 Lunch
14:00 | Workshop / team work 4h
Create solutions and rapid prototyping (by sketching, digital or model-building). Validate or refresh your solutions (collaborative teamwork). Presentation development
FRIDAY APRIL 17
9:00 | Workshop / teamwork 4h. Presentation development
13:00 Lunch
14:00 | Supervising teamwork 3h
Presentation and discussion
Learning assessment + Final reflection
Autonomous Group work; Project delivery 15h
Validate or refresh (part 2) - Re-analysis and reformulation of the proposal. Preparation of the final project presentation document.
Learning outcomes
By the end of this Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme, learners will be able to:
Understand the relevance of knowledge and enhancement of the territory and local cultural identities in the community well-being and happiness
Create proposals for intervention in the public space that contribute to their environmental and cultural qualification, and to the promotion of individual and collective well-being
Apply critical thinking to provide practical solutions to problem-based scenarios encountered in the field
Collaborate with others to achieve common goals
Discuss different cultural and social approaches to improve understanding of the health and well-being of ecosystems and humans.
Selection criteria
Students will be selected based on the fulfilment of requirements, CV and information provided in a 30s to 1m video. Selection will always be based on requirements and submitted applications concerning motivation. The selection team will also take steps toward ensuring diversity and representativity.
Involved organisations and persons
Howest University of Applied Sciences
Partner Organisation- Els Denaeghel (Instructor)
Häme University of Applied Sciences
Partner Organisation- Sanni Virjula (Instructor)
- Sari Suomalainen (Instructor)
Polytechnic University of Leiria
Lead Organisation, Host Organisation- Carla Lobo (Lead Instructor)
- Fernando Carradas (Instructor)
