The “Renovation Show Reader” was conceived as a cornerstone of “The Renovation Show” exhibition, curated by students of station.plus. This unique exhibition, featuring all graduate works by the design chairs at the Department of Architecture at ETH Zürich, explored the transformative power of renovation and its profound impact on the built environment. As part of the European Citizens’ Initiative HouseEurope!, the exhibition advocated for EU policies that prioritize sustainable renovation over demolition and new construction, highlighting the environmental, cultural, and societal benefits of this approach.

The reader shaped the narrative of the exhibition through carefully crafted textual content that invited visitors to delve into the multifaceted dimensions of renovation. It illuminated the potential of renovation as a sustainable and culturally enriching practice that bridges past and future, creating spaces that honor history, respect the environment, and sustain communities for generations to come. Designed to increase public engagement with the topic, the reader explained terms commonly used in architectural discourse to make them accessible to non-specialists while offering architects fresh insights into the importance of renovation. It presented compelling examples of successful renovation projects, highlighted the growing power of citizen movements across Europe, and shared facts, figures, and visual narratives that revealed the damaging consequences of demolition. Additionally, it outlined the goals, demands, and roadmap of the HouseEurope! initiative, empowering individuals to take action by lending their voice, vote, and support to the movement.