The Broken House & the New Routes

Scenario

In the currently prevailing capitalist system, one of the main goals is to turn individuals into approved consumers. As a result, they are pushed to buy as much as possible. For this reason, many products are designed with planned obsolescence or as disposable.

However, despite the fact that the European Union has introduced measures to reduce single-use plastics, a trend of waste continues to persist in Italy and Europe. In fact, items are often thrown away instead of being repaired.

Globally, about 220 million tons of plastic waste is generated each year. Of this, one-third ends up in the environment without proper management. In addition, food waste is just as serious: according to theWaste Watcher Observatory, it increased by 45.6 percent in Italy in 2024 compared to the previous year.

Globally, about 40 percent of the food produced is lost or wasted, amounting to 1.3 billion tons per year. Therefore, it becomes urgent to adopt more sustainable practices. For example, it is crucial to choose repairable and reusable products instead of disposable ones. In addition, responsible consumption should be practiced and food waste should be reduced.

In this economic and social context, detrimental to the health of people, communities and the environment, The Broken House & The New Routes proposes a radical paradigm shift. In fact, rejecting individualism and disregard for each other, it promotes collectivity, communal making and mutual aid.

It also stands out as a virtuous example in waste management: it minimizes waste, avoids overproduction, and redistributes food waste through the circular system in which it operates. Finally, it values the repair and reconditioning of damaged goods, thus spreading a concrete culture of sustainability and shared responsibility.

Description

La Casa Rotta & Le Nuove Rotte is an evolving project that was born in 2011 in Cherasco. It consists of an association project and an agricultural organization. The initiative started with the renovation of an old farmhouse purchased by the founders. The goal was to create a place where people could live and experience new lifestyles.

In the same year, thesocial promotion association LaCasaRotta was founded, composed of young people with heterogeneous skills in the environmental, agricultural, cultural, gastronomic, artistic and architectural fields. Thanks to them, an informal public space for knowledge exchange was born, open to the community and attentive to the roots of the area.

In recent years, the group has independently renovated the 400-square-meter house using reclaimed materials and applyingcircular economy principles. It has also organized numerous events to support the project and create cultural and social opportunities in the area.

The Broken House & The New Routes welcomes people who wish to participate in the initiative in a dynamic group, living in more or less communal modes, depending on individual needs. The main house has been renovated by salvaging fixtures, floors and bathroom fixtures, giving new life to materials otherwise destined for waste. The ground floor houses the association premises, now organized as an ARCI club, where classes, cultural and musical events, screenings and recreational activities are held.

The project is part of RIVE – Italian Network of Ecological Villages, has been a member of WWOOF since 2015 and WorkAway and the VERI network since 2017, hosting volunteers interested in community and agricultural experiences.

Thefarm organism includes 8 hectares of land with a biodynamic vegetable garden, an orchard, cereal fields with ancient varieties and a portion of forest. Agricultural products are sold directly to consumers, respecting seasonality. Finally, a school of agriculture has been established to spread regenerative and sustainable practices, promoting crop biodiversity and collaborations with other local producers.

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