The research project “From ‘Baukultur’ to ‘Umbaukultur’” investigates the roots of today’s replacement culture – that is, the tendency to favour the demolition of existing buildings and their substitution with new constructions. It reconstructs the role currently played by the economic systems and the regulatory framework in shaping this trend, while also quantifying its environmental consequences. The project seeks to understand why sustainable solutions are often neglected and how an alternative attitude of care and repair can be established in the building sector.

Academy of Architecture, Università della Svizzera italiana
Largo Bernasconi 2
6850 Mendrisio

From ‘Baukultur’ to ‘Umbaukultur’