Title

Author(s)

Paul Susini

Affiliation

Association ré/HAB

DOI

https://doi.org/10.65686/KHGV9202

Keywords

Demolition, Rehabilitation, Consumption

PP

903-910

How to Cite

Susini, Paul. “And the Smell of Rot Fills the Country Reflections on an Architecture-Consuming Society.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on Adaptive Reuse. Volume 1, edited by Andrea Crudeli, Francesca Molle, and Emanuele Carrai, 903–910. Firenze: STH Press, 2026.

Abstract

« And the smell of rot fills the country » Inspired by a line from The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, this work explores the evident necessity of rehabilitation in the face of the moral, ethical, ecological and physical violence of demolition. In the first part, through a series of examples from various historical periods, demolition—seen as the counterpoint to rehabilitation—is presented as a deliberate and meaningful act. Its use throughout history reflects an evolving relationship with the built environment, increasingly treated as a consumable, perishable, and replaceable commodity. In the second part, the focus shifts to rehabilitation projects. Drawing a parallel between the rehabilitation of a building and that of a person, the reflection extends this notion into the field of architecture and construction. Rehabilitation is thus, on the one hand, a stance – an ethical, social, and environmental commitment—and, on the other, a practice, with its own tools, knowledge, and expertise.

Edited by
Andrea Crudeli
Francesca Molle
Emanuele Carrai

Publisher
STH Press, Firenze

ISBN Paperback – 9791281661141
ISBN Ebook – 9791281661158
DOI – https://doi.org/10.65686/SISY7263

Year
2026

Proceedings of
International Conference on Adaptive Reuse
hosted by The University of Pisa, Italy
15-19 September 2025, at the Gispoteca di Arte Antica dell’Università di Pisa.