News

Published: 27 November 2025

On 19 and 20 November, the SETU Xcelerate Centre in Waterford, Ireland hosted the 5th SEALabHaus Transnational Forum. The event brought together international partners and local stakeholders to promote professionalisation and training in blue tourism, in line with the principles of the New European Bauhaus (NEB).

The forum included open conferences on topics such as the professionalisation of tourism, urban renewal in the Viking Triangle, the evolution of the Waterford Greenway, coastal community development, maritime festivals and building creative capacity in the face of climate change. On the second day, which was dedicated to project partners, there were visits to Tramore, the Copper Coast, art installations and the Waterford Treasures Museum, which showcased local examples reflecting the sustainability, beauty and inclusion values promoted by SEALabHaus.

Building on the success of previous forums in A Coruña, Porto, Vannes and Gran Canaria, this event further strengthens transnational cooperation to promote maritime culture and blue tourism in the Atlantic region.

Published: 26 November 2025

On 14 November, the Xunta de Galicia hosted the 2nd Regional Seminar on the Strategic Plan for Maritime Culture and Blue Tourism.

Held in Santiago de Compostela, the meeting brought together institutional representatives, project partners, researchers and local stakeholders to present the results of the first year of SEALabHaus, as well as to develop strategies to strengthen the coastal ecosystem and revitalise fishing communities. During the event, a SWOT analysis and corresponding CAME matrix were developed to identify key factors that will guide the future strategic plan for maritime culture and blue tourism in the Atlantic region.

The Director General of Fisheries Development, Ángeles V. Suárez, emphasised that this initiative is spearheading the development of the Atlantic Laboratory, a digital platform for coastal innovation that compiles best practices, technical tools, and sustainable projects. She emphasised that such actions “strengthen Atlantic cooperation and demonstrate that the sea remains an inexhaustible source of opportunities”.

Published: 26 November 2025

On 4 October, the 2nd Regional Seminar on the Strategic Plan for Maritime Culture and Blue Tourism took place in Cabedelo, Figueira da Foz. It was organised by AD ELO – Associação de Desenvolvimento Local da Bairrada e Mondego.

Held in conjunction with the Gliding Barnacles Festival, the meeting brought together project partners, institutional representatives, researchers and members of the local community to reflect on maritime culture and blue tourism. During the event, the results of the first year of the SEALabHaus project were presented and innovative initiatives were shared. There was also a discussion about academic approaches to sustainability in tourism.

The highlight was the collaborative workshop and debate, which facilitated the development of SWOT and CAME analyses to inform future strategies for Maritime Culture and Blue Tourism in the Atlantic region.

Published: 2nd October 2025

The University of A Coruña, representing SEALabHaus, participated in the launch meeting of the GRAAL project – Governance and Regional Atlantic Area Lighthouse, which took place on 30 September at the CCDR Norte premises in Porto. GRAAL has been selected as an Operation of Strategic Importance within the Interreg Atlantic Area programme, a new feature of the 2021–2027 regulatory framework which aims to highlight emblematic initiatives and showcase the contribution of Cohesion Policy.

Organised by the coordinating team led by Cerema (the Centre for Studies and Expertise on Risks, the Environment, Mobility and Urban Planning), the session introduced GRAAL’s working methodology and opened a collaborative space to reflect on how to build on the results of Interreg-funded projects. SEALabHaus's participation enabled the sharing of experiences and insights, as well as the creation of synergies with other ongoing and completed projects around shared goals such as environmental protection, prosperity and climate change preparedness.

We would like to thank the Joint Secretariat and the GRAAL team for inviting us to this productive event, which marks the beginning of a new phase of strategic collaboration in the Atlantic Area.

Published: 29 September 2025

The University of A Coruña participated in the thematic conference of the European Architectural History Network (EAHN), The Built Ocean, which took place in Porto from 10 to 13 September 2025. At this international meeting, which explored the relationship between architecture and the marine environment, some of the research conducted at the Sealabhaus was presented.

The article, entitled Galician Ocean and Architecture: Landscape, Production, Heritage and Sustainability analyses how Galician vernacular architecture has evolved at the dynamic interface between land and sea, adapting to oceanic conditions and the productive requirements of maritime commerce. Through studying structures such as tide mills, fish farms, marine nurseries and rafts, the close interdependence between Galician coastal communities and the marine environment is highlighted. These structures optimise the use of intertidal and oceanic spaces for food and energy production while preserving Galicia's collective memory and maritime cultural heritage. The paper proposes considering these practices as part of an emblematic cultural landscape capable of offering sustainable, adaptable strategies for the responsible use of ocean resources.

Participation in this forum reinforces Sealabhaus's commitment to applied research and international outreach.

Published: 23 July 2025

The Xunta de Galicia presented SEALab at an event held at the Astillero Ciprián shipyard carpentry museum in Outes, Galicia. Ms Marta Villaverde, the Regional Minister for the Sea, attended the event, where Dr Óscar Fuertes, a professor at the University of La Coruña and the Principal Investigator of SEALabHaus, presented the work of all the project partners, showcasing the various activities and results that contribute to the laboratory. SEALab is a web platform that brings together good practices, technical tools, examples of sustainable projects, and resources geared towards local action. Dr Lucía Martínez Quintana, Director of the Department of Art, City and Territory at the ULPGC, and Dr Diego Inglés de Sousa, Researcher at the Centre for Architecture and Urban Studies at the FAUP, also participated in the event, discussing their respective universities' contributions to SEALab. Representatives of the Galicia Regional Action Group also attended the meeting.

Published: 21 July 2025

Apply to become one of the SEALabHaus Pilot Initiatives aligned with the New European Bauhaus.

We’re seeking innovative, community-led or creative projects based in coastal regions across the Atlantic Area. These projects should be committed to sustainability, social inclusion, and creative transformation.

Whether you’re a grassroots community initiative, established local private business, start-up or collective, local authority or a government agency, we want to hear how your project supports the coastal economy, cultural identity, or natural environment — early-stage proposals are also welcome.

How to apply?

1. Download the Expression of interest questionnaire

2. Complete and send it to your regional contact email*

3. Attach any supporting material (images, PDFs, videos) if relevant

Published: 16 July 2025

This week, the SEALabHaus project is being featured in La Voz de Galicia as an example of a new approach to the coast, blending local knowledge, productive heritage and sustainability. The article highlights the Xunta de Galicia's (Galician Regional Government) institutional drive to activate pilot projects that explore innovative and sustainable uses of marine and coastal territory. The Regional Ministry of the Sea's involvement and commitment to promoting pilot projects in coastal areas reinforces SEALabHaus's ambition to make territorial innovation a localised, inclusive practice connected to maritime identity.
Coordinated by the University of A Coruña within the framework of the European Interreg Atlantic Area programme, SEALabHaus positions Galicia as a generator of proposals that draw on seafaring tradition, vernacular maritime architecture and the capacities of coastal communities to reinvent their future.

Published 24 June 2025

Portugal’s coastal communities are quietly revolutionising the concept of circularity by blending traditional maritime knowledge with new ideas for sustainable and inclusive development. In Angeiras, a historic fishing village north of Porto, local fishermen continue to repair and reuse equipment, and to engage respectfully with the sea. These traditions are a way of life, inspiring younger generations and creative professionals working towards a more sustainable future.

This grassroots ethos aligns with the approach of the SealabHaus project, which applies the principles of beauty, sustainability, and community set out in the New European Bauhaus to reimagine coastal heritage. In places such as Matosinhos and Figueira da Foz, architects, surfers, chefs, fishermen and students are collaborating to transform everyday coastal life. Discarded fishing gear is repurposed as beach-cleaning tools, and guided tours led by local fishermen foster a deeper connection between visitors and maritime culture.

Originally published by the Interreg Communication Team, this article reflects the shared values of Interreg Atlantic projects such as SealabHaus, which empower communities to co-design the future of coastal living with their hands in the water and their eyes on the horizon.

Published: 20 June 2025

Apply to become one of the SEALabHaus Pilot Initiatives aligned with the New European Bauhaus.

We’re seeking innovative, community-led or creative projects based in coastal regions across the Atlantic Area. These projects should be committed to sustainability, social inclusion, and creative transformation.

Whether you’re a grassroots community initiative, established local private business, start-up or collective, local authority or a government agency, we want to hear how your project supports the coastal economy, cultural identity, or natural environment — early-stage proposals are also welcome.

How to apply?

1. Download the Expression of interest questionnaire

2. Complete and send it to your regional contact email*

3. Attach any supporting material (images, PDFs, videos) if relevant

Published: May 08, 2025

Last Tuesday, 6 May, the SEALabHaus project was presented as part of the "From sea to brand: maritime heritage as a story and resource" talks at the TuriCiencia Week of the UDC's Faculty of Tourism. The presentation focused on the internationalisation of maritime heritage knowledge within the architecture theme.

During the event, the winning proposals of the ACD-Mar call were presented. This is a project that promotes accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities in the promotion of maritime fishing cultural heritage, and is promoted by the Association for Fishing and Shellfishing (FUNDAMAR), the Amicos Association, and the UDC. The objective of the call is to create accessibility solutions for social economy entities offering cultural services related to the tangible and intangible heritage of the maritime fishing sector, enabling these experiences to be accessible to all, regardless of physical or cognitive ability.

Published: March 26, 2025

As part of the European SeaLabHaus project, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) is organising the 4th Transnational Forum on the Art and Culture of the Atlantic Area. This event will take place on the 3rd and 4th of April at the School of Architecture of Las Palmas and will bring together the twelve project partners, as well as stakeholders from the Canary Islands region who are part of the Regional Action Group.

The forum will serve as a meeting point for the exchange of ideas, experiences and strategies on the role of art and culture in the identity and development of the Atlantic Area. Key issues such as sustainability, innovation and citizen participation in cultural and architectural projects will be addressed through presentations, workshops and visits.

Published: February 21, 2025

A coordination meeting between the Xunta and the University of A Coruña (UDC) was held in Santiago de Compostela on 20 February, with the participation of Marta Villaverde, Director General of Fisheries Development of the Xunta de Galicia and Óscar Fuertes, professor at the UDC and principal investigator of the SEALabHaus project. The meeting addressed key issues related to the implementation and design of the SEALab platform, the Atlantic Area Laboratory, which will soon be available. This innovative platform promises to be an essential resource for the dissemination of the SEALabHaus project and will act as a connector between projects and communities already working on maritime, policy, industry and societal issues. Inspired by the New European Bauhaus, the platform will foster collaboration in areas such as professionalisation, education, tourism, art, culture and maritime and sustainable architecture.

Published: December 11th, 2024

The 1st Regional Seminar of the Ireland section of the SEALabHaus Project was held on the afternoon of November 21st in the headquarters of the Royal Dublin Society.

The meeting was convened to coincide with the Ocean Knowledge Conference being held in the same venue. Participants in the Regional Seminar were encouraged to also take the opportunity to attend the conference, and many chose to do so.

All members of the recently formed Irish SeaLabHaus Regional Action Group were invited to attend and contribute to the afternoon session.

Published: December 11th,2024.

On October 25th, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) hosted a successful regional seminar as part of the SeaLabHaus project. This event brought together local stakeholders and partners to collaborate on the design of the SEALab: a collaborative platform aimed at fostering sustainable solutions for the Atlantic region.

During the seminar, participants, including key project partners and regional stakeholders, exchanged ideas and best practices for the development of a transnational maritime laboratory. This initiative is part of a broader effort to promote a more sustainable, inclusive, and beautiful approach to Blue Tourism, aligning with the principles of the New European Bauhaus.

With a focus on enhancing the sustainable use of marine and coastal resources, the SeaLabHaus project aims to transform the value chain of Blue Tourism in the Atlantic Area. By integrating modern solutions with cultural heritage, the project seeks to ensure long-term resilience and well-being for coastal communities.

Published: 15 October 2024

The first Regional Seminar of the French Regional Action Group of the SEALabHAUS project was held on 10 September at Les Ateliers des Capucins, Brest, and was organised by Brest Métropole.

The event was attended by members of the French Regional Action Group. The focus was on the design of the Atlantic Area Laboratory, SEALab, with an intense exchange of contributions and views facilitated. In addition, a wide range of good practices that align with the project objectives was presented.

Published: October 4th, 2024

As part of the SeaLabHaus project, UBS is organizing a transnational forum on tourism and culture on Tuesday, October 8, in Vannes. It will bring together the twelve academic and socio-economic partners of the project, which covers France, Ireland, Spain and Portugal. The forum is an important moment for coordination between the partners. It is also an opportunity for the territory to share its projects and its experience of tourism and culture.

Published: October 2nd, 2024

The 1st Regional Seminar of the Portuguese Regional Action Group of the SEALabHAUS project was organised by AD ELO and took place on 20 September in Cabedelo/Figueira da Foz.

The Seminar was attended by partner organisations from all over the country. The focus of the event was the "Design of the Atlantic Area Laboratory, SEALab", and it facilitated an intensive exchange of contributions and points of view. Additionally, the event highlighted the presentation of a wide range of good practices that align with the project's objectives.

Published: 24/09/2024

On 19 September, the Xunta de Galicia convened the members of the Regional Action Group of Galicia in Santiago de Compostela to hold the I Regional Seminar. The primary objective was to lay the groundwork for the establishment of the Sea Laboratory (SEALab). The objective was to obtain a selection of examples of good practices and future problems or needs at a regional level through the active participation of the attendees. These examples can then be incorporated into the future virtual platform of the SEALab following analysis and assessment.

The regional seminars have been established in response to the need to create a forum in which ideas about the sea and its relationship with the various themes presented in the SEALabHaus project can be discussed and exchanged. The seminars will address the following key areas: Blue Tourism, Art and Culture, Architecture, Sea and Sustainability, and Professionalisation and Training. They will be held on an annual basis, with the objective of consolidating an Atlantic Community that encourages the exchange of experiences and good practices among its members.

The morning session was structured into three sections. In the first session, the Xunta de Galicia presented SEAlab, a virtual, collaborative and open platform that will be used to integrate the materials and results derived from the SEALabHaus research project, as well as to include the Atlantic Community, represented by the Regional Action Groups, and its contributions. The third block of the day saw UDC present a selection of good practices from each member of the Regional Action Group of Galicia. Finally, the specific problems and future needs of each sector were discussed by the members of the Regional Action Group, with a view to identifying ways in which the sea laboratory, the SEALab, can be created and solutions or ways of mutual support found.

Published: July 24, 2024

The graphic image as a whole is contemporary, minimalist, dynamic and timeless. It represents a name based on three terms with a strong identity: SEA in reference to the ocean (blue tourism), Lab to research (art, culture and science) and HAUS to sustainable architecture.
The logo presents three well-defined strata that delicately overlap, representing a fluid common direction:
• a circle open to the world and its diversities located high up, like a sun, providing the energy of a healthy relationship with living beings and looking towards the future,
• the repeated forms advocate a creative and progressive movement of well-being and reasoned and sustainable construction, laboratory of artistic and scientific experiments in a reflective habitat,
• four lines undulate like a moving ocean, a refuge for marine biodiversity and the founding current of underwater life.

Published: July 1, 2024

As part of FAUP's participation in the SeaLabHaus project - 'Atlantic New Bauhaus Laboratory for Sustainable, Inclusive and Beautiful Blue Tourism, Heritage and Culture of the Sea', funded by the INTERREG - Atlantic Area Program, the II Transnational Forum on Sea and Sustainability will be held on July 4 and 5, 2024, at FAUP (Porto, Portugal).

The Forum will be a time for meetings, debates and activities to co-create innovative strategies and practices to support the development of sea-related tourism.

This is also the moment when representatives of the partner organizations and the Regional Action Group will have the opportunity to visit some of the sites previously selected by FAUP researchers and learn about projects and practices that suggest alternatives for reconciling the economic dynamics associated with tourism with awareness of its environmental impacts, both on the sea and the built environment and on coastal communities.

Published: May 8, 2024

PROGRAM

10:00 - 10:30  Official opening of the Transnational Forum on Architectures of the sea.
Miguel Abelleira, Director de la ETSAC
Marta Villaverde, Directora xeral de Desenvolvemento Pesqueiro de la Xunta de Galicia
Óscar Fuertes, Investigador Principal SEALabHaus

10.30 - 11.00  Recovery of the port edge of Porto do Son and Fishermen’s huts in Quilmas. CREUSeCARRASCO. Juan Creus, Covadonga Carrasco.

11.00 - 11.30  Rehabilitation of the traditional shipyard Ciprián in Outes. Fuertes-Penedo. Óscar Fuertes, Iago Fernández Penedo.

11:30 - 12.30  Coffee break

12:30 - 13:00  Rehabilitation of the old salting factory in Aldán, Alfonso Penela.

13:00 - 14:00  Participatory Activities

16:00 - 16:30  Intervention of Alfonso Villares. Conselleiro do Mar da Xunta de Galicia.
Sonia Vázquez Díaz, Vicerreitora de Infraestruturas e Sustentabilidade de la Universidade da Coruña

16:30 - 17:00  Restoration of fishermen’s huts in the Port of Mutriku. XLARK arquitectos. Miriam Varela, Santi Lorenzo.

17:00 - 17:30  Recovery of the Cetárea in Tapia de Casariego. Jovino Martínez Sierra Arquitectos.

17:30 - 18:00  Landscape interventions of the Almadraba de Nueva Umbría in Lepe. Sol89. María González, Juanjo López.

18:00 - 19:00  Participatory Activities

The forum is proposed as a meeting place for reflection on the architecture of the sea and its associated landscape, on how these buildings have shaped the Galician coast.

The establishment of different traditional trades related to the sea, which little by little evolved into industries, along the dividing line between land and sea, has resulted in the architectural establishment of different characteristic constructions that today are traces of a specific culture: the maritime culture of Galicia.

Coastal constructions and their associated landscape: salting factories, whaling factories, canning factories, sawmills, traditional shipyards, cetaceans, tide mills and adjective constructions (which includes ramps, drying sheds or fishermen's huts, among others), understood as vernacular, sewing, transitional or sea architecture, which are essential buildings and free of design prejudices, where form is the result of function and adaptation to the environment.

The objective is to demonstrate a contemporary approach to maritime heritage, which involves studying good practices through architectural recovery and the collective memory of trades, with the aim of enhancing the entire maritime heritage.

Published: March 13, 2024

The kick-off meeting of the SEALabHaus project was held online on the 13th of March 2024, bringing together representatives of all the partner associations that were welcomed to the project by the University of A Coruña, as the lead partner of the project. During the meeting, the partners introduced themselves: University of A Coruña, Xunta de Galicia, Universidad de las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Medatlantia Consultoría Europea, Lab LEGO - Université Bretagne Sud - Vannes (UBS), Ecole Européene Supérieure D'Art de Bretagne (EESAB), Brest Métropole, Associação de Desenvolvemento Local da Bairrada e Mondego (AD ELO), Universidade do Porto, South East Technological University (RIKON Research Centre - SETU), University College Dublin (UCD School of Computer Science), Win Consultants. After the presentations, the project overview was presented and a number of technical, management and communication issues were discussed.

Published: January 8, 2024

Discover SeaLabHaus and the other 26 projects approved under the first call for Interreg Atlantic Area 2021-2027 categorized by thematic priorities, a summary of the project and the partners, being UDC the Lead Partner.

Published: November 22, 2024

The OTRI (Technology Transfer Office of University of A Coruña) celebrates the approval of SeaLabHaus and two other Interreg Atlantic Area projects in which the UDC participates, and recognizes the efforts of the researchers who have been working hard to participate in this first call.

SeaLabHaus is one of the 27 projects of the Interreg Atlantic Area 2021-2027 call approved during the Monitoring Committee meeting held in Bilbao, Spain, on June 28, 2023, for funding within the framework of the First Call for Proposals.

SeaLabHaus, New Atlantic Laboratory of the Bauhaus of the seas for sustainable and inclusive blue tourism, heritage and culture. This project aims to innovate in the value chain of tourism and blue culture, transforming, revitalizing and enhancing the coastal tourism ecosystem in balance with the sea as a key factor of resilience, well-being and sustainability. The UDC will assume the coordination of this project in which Dr. Oscar Fuertes is the Principal Investigator.