TED Talks Daily Why are we demolishing homes during a housing crisis? | Olaf Grawert
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Dec 4, 2025 
Architect Olaf Grawert advocates for adaptive reuse over demolition, highlighting the human and environmental costs incurred when homes are demolished during a housing crisis. He critiques the profit-driven motives behind tearing down buildings, calling for a shift in perspective towards valuing existing structures. Grawert showcases innovative renovation models, like the Bordeaux project, which are both affordable and sustainable. He emphasizes the need for systemic legal reforms and civic initiatives to promote renovation-first policies, aiming to reshape our urban landscape.
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Demolition Is Driven By Profit
- Every minute in Europe a house is demolished by human hands, erasing memories and communities.
- Olaf Grawert argues demolition is driven by profit, not necessity, revealing a systemic problem.
Value Equals Price In Real Estate
- Real estate treats value and price as identical, privileging new construction over existing buildings.
- This spreadsheet logic turns tomorrow's profit into today's wrecking ball, ignoring people and place.
Hidden Costs Beyond The Ledger
- Hidden costs of demolition include lost memories, community ties, and social fabric that spreadsheets ignore.
- Demolition also unleashes large CO2 emissions and waste because ecological values aren't priced in.