The workshop held on September 7, 2026, at a studio in Berlin was an important first step towards bringing the idea of “Building conversion over demolition” to the „kitchen table“ – through a game. We invited a diverse group of experts from the fields of building culture (Baukultur) and architecture, urban development and game design to explore how this might work.

The interactive path to initial game ideas

We kicked things off with two short introductory inputs. The first focused on the Initiative Haus Marlene Poelzig, whose Anti-Demolition Manifesto calls for a paradigm shift that makes demolition the exception rather than the rule. In addition, the initiative is currently working to unlock more of the potential and value of existing buildings through renovation and conversion. The second input looked at how games can help communicate building culture: Games can make knowledge accessible quickly and with little barrier to entry, while tackling a wide range of urban issues. They bring people together, create spaces free from hierarchies and prejudice, and encourage players to see things from different perspectives.

In a creative atmosphere, through plenary discussions and breakout groups, we had lively exchanges around a set of key questions: Who do we want to reach with the game – and who might we miss? For instance, decision-makers, property owners, investors, banks, and/or the general public? What should the game focus on: the resources needed, the key players involved, conflicts and decisions? What should the experience be all about – interaction, exchange, sharing knowledge, and/or simply having fun? And what format would work best: a board game, a card game or another kind of tabletop game, e.g. a quartet card game, a memory game, an economics game, a role-playing game or a guessing game?

Concrete results to build on

As the workshop progressed, participants began connecting their ideas and building on one another’s suggestions. By the end, we had arrived at a surprisingly concrete result: a first draft of the game, complete with rules, event cards and categories for existing buildings.

We’ll take these ideas forward in the next phase, refining them and developing a prototype that we can play, test and learn from. The goal is to create a game that feels intuitive, is easy to understand and looks inviting – one that gets people excited to join in!