City-Making in action: NONA Academy brings students, experts, and community together in Cazin

NONA Academy October 2025, Cazin, Bosnia and Herzegovina

From October 26th to November 1st, 2025, the City of Cazin hosted the NONA Academy, an international creative “CITY MAKING” workshop organised within the European NONA Project and co-financed by the Interreg Danube Programme. The event brought together students, local partners, and international experts to explore new ways of shaping public space and enhancing the quality of life across the Danube Region.

Throughout the week, architecture students from the University of Biberach in Germany and civil engineering students from University North / Sveučilište Sjever in Croatia collaborated closely with local partners in Cazin. Working together, they created a temporary spatial intervention that turned an everyday outdoor space into a playful and inviting meeting point - a temporary playground designed to encourage movement and interaction. Such spaces help younger generations connect with their surroundings and feel represented in the city, strengthening their interest in its future. The workshop showed how even a small, short-term intervention can make a familiar place feel more meaningful and lively.

The temporary installation served as a prototype for long-term improvements in Cazin’s urban fabric. The intervention took place during the Chestnut Festival, providing a lively real-world setting in which to test new ideas. Many families who live abroad often return to Cazin for this festival, and the installation naturally attracted both locals and visiting relatives, opening conversations about future possibilities for public space in the city. The workshop was mentored by project partners The Collective Foundation from Bulgaria and the urbanes.land initiative from the University of Applied Sciences Biberach in Germany.

Beyond the week-long workshop, the NONA Academy in Cazin illustrated the broader mission of the NONA Project: translating the values of the New European Bauhaus, sustainability, beauty, and community into everyday life. By fostering collaboration, encouraging responsible land-use, and strengthening appreciation for existing spatial assets, the initiative aims to inspire lasting improvements in public spaces throughout the Danube Region.

This workshop in Cazin built upon the first international activity of the NONA Academy programme, held in Ravne na Koroškem in June 2025. There, students explored spatial potentials through fieldwork, mapping, and direct engagement with the local community. The workshop in Cazin continued this transnational learning journey, providing practical experience and strengthening collaboration among students across partner cities.