Rethink demolition

Three approaches – one goal

The new lecture and discussion format took place in front of around 55 employees and invited guests at the office in Bregenz and at least as many listeners via livestream at the other locations in Munich, Vienna, Frankfurt, St. Gallen or Paris. The aim is to provide impetus for the organisation's work, to set the own climate and socially responsible architecture in the context of current political developments, to bring the discourse into the practice, and to disseminate it to the outside world.

‘We don't do architecture alone,’ says Patrick Stremler in his introduction. The guests also include external partners, companions and decision-makers from the region. ‘We have to face up to the discussion,’ says Much Untertrifaller, who emphasises that the common understanding of architecture as a mere demonstration of creative results has long changed. The two voices are representative of an office that has recognised from the outset where ecological responsibility begins: namely at its own planning table.

In addition to Verena Konrad, German architect Leon Beck from Architects for Future takes part with a lecture. Besides, Karoline Mayer is also a guest speaker and moderator of the discussion. With exhibitions and publications she highlights the development of land prices and speculative vacancies as drivers of current demolition practices and the current housing shortage.

HouseEurope!

This also becomes clear in the film excerpt from the campaign and documentary film for HouseEurope! presented by Verena Konrad at the beginning: profit-orientated financial systems are diametrically opposed to the planetary fight for survival. However, the fact that remodelling and preservation are key factors in reducing the immense CO2 and waste burden of the construction industry has not yet reached the decisive legal and political level. This is where HouseEurope! comes in.

In her presentation, Verena Konrad describes in a very lively and personal way how the collaboration with the co-initiator of the EU-wide campaign Arno Brandlhuber and the Station+ team at ETH Zurich came about two years ago, what steps it took to anchor the initiative in Austria and what she hopes for in the coming months. She observes how the majority of the commitment against demolition is supported by a young generation and explains why we need to respond to the pressure from the young. She also describes the learning process that accompanies the project, how simple and yet labour-intensive political implication can be and, above all, what continues to motivate her. The ‘crash course in democracy at European level’, as she calls the most recent experience in her diverse range of activities, is all the more important in times of populism.

The HouseEurope! initiative's legislative demands include, firstly, a reduction in VAT on refurbishment products and labour, as already exists in some EU countries. Secondly, the risk assessment of existing buildings should be regulated fairly in comparison to new builds and thirdly, existing buildings should also be taken into account in life cycle assessment processes. At the same time, the campaign also wants to raise awareness. There is time until 31 January 2026 to collect 1 million signatures across Europe. An international network of supporters has been established for this purpose.

Networks of commitment

The European Citizen Initiative (ECI), as the formal framework for HouseEurope! is called, is also carried forward by Architects for Future. Networking and engagement are in the DNA of the group, which was founded in 2019 and is constantly growing. Leon Beck, the second speaker of the evening, presents strategies for avoiding demolition, that A4F has been pursuing for around 2.5 years. Using examples from German-speaking countries, he shows how awareness of the issue or alternative ideas to demolition projects can be generated. The volunteers, organised in local groups, have themselves formulated 10 demands to politicians, which include dealing with existing buildings. Projects such as the Demolition Atlas in Germany or participation in the interdisciplinary Anti-Demolition Alliance show once again how effective action can be taken through in-depth research, professional expertise and networking. The aim is always to be heard outside the specialist world.

Karoline Mayer and Katharina Ritter curated the exhibitions Boden für Alle and Über Tourismus for the Architekturzentrum Wien AzW. In Bregenz, Karoline Mayer uses precise data to emphasise the connections between economically motivated land policy or tourism-related vacancies and ecological or social consequences. Among other things, she explains the building land paradox in Austria, compares daily land consumption and soil sealing, addresses the speculative forces that are ‘tugging at the soil’ and the effects of the growing phenomenon of leisure residences. Last but not least, she shows a selection of projects that offer hope. ‘We always want to show that things can be done differently,’ she says about the content of her exhibitions, which have been touring Austria for several years and are intended to reach as many people as possible.

Initiated and organised by the two architects Cemile Stadelmann and Laura Untertrifaller, a successful evening came to an end in Bregenz. Further planned editions of the series in Vienna and Munich will probably be dedicated to the topics of inclusion and regulations. Courage and commitment are currently being used to rethink different aspects in current construction practice. The office's internal concept of actively promoting these debates certainly does not need to be reconsidered after this kick-off event.

Text: Sabina Strambu, March 2025