What happens when young people are given the opportunity, the support, and the confidence to shape the places where they live? In Copenhagen’s Lundtoftegade neighbourhood, three teenagers have shown exactly what that can look like.
Three teenagers aged just 15 and 16 transformed an idea inspired by their own lived experience into a fixed public lighting installation that is making their neighbourhood safer, more welcoming and more vibrant. Their journey – from recognising a local challenge to implementing a real solution -demonstrates what can happen when young people are trusted not just to contribute ideas, but to lead change.
Their story is also a powerful example of the EIT Community New European Bauhaus (NEB) model: combining European support with dedicated local partners like cirka cph to empower citizens to become changemakers and transform local ideas into lasting impact.
Growing up in Lundtoftegade, a social housing neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Mohammed, Ibrahim and Semi knew first-hand how poorly lit public spaces could affect how people experienced their neighbourhood.
When they joined Ignite NEB Copenhagen, hosted by cirka cph and partners as part of the EIT Community NEB, they brought this lived experience with them. Together, they developed Lundens Lys (“Lights of the Grove”) – a concept proposing artistic lighting installations that would improve visibility while strengthening community identity and creating spaces where people feel welcome to gather.
Among 17 ideas presented during the Ignite NEB Copenhagen event, Lundens Lys was selected as one of the winning concepts for its creativity, community focus and potential to create meaningful local impact.
But for the EIT Community NEB, winning an event is never the end of the journey. It is the beginning.
Following their success at Ignite NEB, the team continued developing their idea through the Grow NEB programme, where cirka cph provided ongoing incubation, mentoring and practical support to help transform the concept into reality.
Working alongside local residents, housing associations, artists, community organisations and municipal stakeholders, the young innovators co-created eight artistic lighting installations that now illuminate one of the neighbourhood’s key public routes.
The project brought together partners including municipal team Integrated Urban Renewal of Bispeengen, communitydevelopers Nørrebrobyggerne, social housing organisation AKB København and visual artist Morten Modin, demonstrating how collaboration between citizens, creative practitioners, local authorities and community organisations can create lasting public value.
The project culminated in a public inauguration attended by residents, families, local partners and the Technical and Environmental Mayor of the City of Copenhagen, who officially unveiled the installations alongside the three young creators and their proud families.
The event celebrated far more than a lighting project. It recognised young people as active contributors to urban transformation and demonstrated the importance of creating spaces where their ideas are not only heard, but realised.
“It’s really cool to experience that, when you speak up or take initiative, people take you seriously.”
– Ibrahim, Semi and Mohamed
While the new installations have improved visibility and contributed to a stronger sense of safety in the neighbourhood, the project’s greatest impact extends far beyond the physical intervention.
Throughout the journey, Mohammed, Ibrahim and Semi developed the confidence to present their ideas publicly, collaborate with professionals and engage directly with local decision-makers. Their experience shows that when young people are trusted with real responsibility, they become active participants in shaping their communities.
The project also strengthened relationships between residents, local organisations and public authorities, illustrating how co-creation can build stronger neighbourhoods alongside better public spaces.
Perhaps most importantly, it demonstrates that innovation doesn’t require a title, years of experience or a business background. Sometimes, it simply begins with young people who care deeply about the place they call home.
The journey of Lundens Lys reflects the ambition of the EIT Community NEB: supporting innovation that begins with communities and helping local ideas grow into tangible change.
Through programmes such as Ignite NEB and Grow NEB, participants receive much more than funding. They gain access to mentoring, incubation, peer learning and a European network that helps promising ideas continue well beyond the initial event.
At the heart of this approach are implementation partners like cirka cph, whose deep understanding of their communities makes lasting impact possible. By connecting local talent with European opportunities and long-term support, organisations like cirka cph help ensure that innovative ideas don’t end with a pitch – they become real projects that improve people’s everyday lives.
The success of Lundens Lys is not an isolated story.
Building on the momentum of Ignite NEB Copenhagen, five new Ignite NEB host organisations have recently been selected to deliver the next round of Ignite NEB programmes across Europe in autumn 2026. Like cirka cph, these local organisations will empower citizens to tackle challenges in their own neighbourhoods, supporting new ideas through Ignite NEB and continuing the most promising projects through the Grow NEB incubation programme.
Together, they demonstrate that meaningful transformation often begins at the neighbourhood scale.
Could your community be next? Keep an eye on our website to discover whether there’s an Ignite NEB event taking place near you and take the first step towards turning your own local idea into lasting impact.
Because young people don’t need a seat at the table.
They need the tools – and the trust! – to build one.
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