#36 HouseEurope! An Initiative for the Building Transition

In Episode 36, together with Verena Konrad—Austrian representative of HouseEurope! and Director of the Vorarlberg Architecture Institute (vai)—we provide an insight into the citizens’ initiative HouseEurope!.

HouseEurope! is a parliamentary citizens’ initiative at the European level. Its aim is to reduce the demolition of buildings and instead promote renovation, reuse, and transformation. The initiative is based on the conviction that the existing building stock is not only an ecological resource, but also a cultural and social one.

This episode is part of a mini-series on the HouseEurope! initiative, curated by Madlyn Miessgang and Verena Konrad, with support from the Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W). All information about HouseEurope!, as well as the opportunity to sign the initiative, can be found at: https://www.houseeurope.eu

Verena Konrad is an art historian specializing in the history of architecture and design, as well as a curator, author, and cultural manager. Since 2013, she has headed the Vorarlberg Architecture Institute as a cultural and educational organization dedicated to architecture and building culture education. She represents the European initiative HouseEurope! in Austria.

Podcast credits – Episode #36
Concept and hosting: Madlyn Miessgang, Verena Konrad
Recording, audio, and editing: Lisa-Marie Kramer, Madlyn Miessgang, Nico Schleicher

ZUKUNFT STADT Podcast – Production:
Lukas Bast, Larissa Benk, Lisa-Marie Kramer, Lena Hohenkamp, Madlyn Miessgang, and Nico Schleicher

The audio material largely originates from the event “Power to Renovation,” which took place in June 2025 at the Architekturzentrum Wien (Az W). The event was curated by Lene Benz (Az W).

Intro music: Jakob Kotal

The podcast ZUKUNFT STADT is a project of the Faculty of Architecture and Spatial Planning at TU Wien. It is produced through a collaboration between the future.lab and the Department of Local Spatial Planning at TU Wien.