An Intergenerational Shift in Mindset

The conservation, maintenance, and repair of the built environment have recently taken center stage in architectural discourse. This shift is driven by the urgent need to operate within planetary boundaries and to adopt sustainable approaches – not only environmentally, but also socially and economically. Concepts like circularity and reuse offer alternatives. However, a significant transformation in practice – moving away from demolition and replacement toward preserving existing structures – has yet to materialize fully. While market dynamics in construction and real estate are often cited as barriers, a more profound transformation may lie in rethinking how architecture and related disciplines are taught. A shift in the didactic and pedagogical approaches to teaching architecture and related subjects, even at an early school level, could effectively enable this urgent transition. Can we cultivate a generation of sustainable natives who value what has already been built, while also challenging established building practices by integrating novel methods and technologies across generations and disciplines? This paradigm shift calls for interdisciplinary, innovative teaching methods and knowledge frameworks. Recent teaching, research, and outreach initiatives – along with publications focused on repair and maintenance – are beginning to lay the groundwork. These efforts aim to develop scalable strategies that address a wide range of challenges facing our built environment.