Barcelona is preparing to host the biggest architectural event of the year: from June 28 to July 2, the city will welcome the UIA World Congress of Architects, bringing together around 10,000 professionals from 130 countries. Organizers note that the scale of the forum is comparable to the legendary 1996 meeting, when the city was still recovering after the Olympics and architects discussed the profession’s future against the backdrop of global changes.
This year, the congress will take place at three venues: the Fòrum International Convention Center, the Disseny Hub museum, and the Tres Chimeneas complex in Sant Adrià de Besòs. For the first time, the forum will feature a central exhibition covering 4,000 square meters, along with 70 themed routes across the city and its surroundings. For many participants, this is a chance to access previously restricted spaces.
Program and key topics
The main theme of the congress is ‘Becoming. Arquitectures for a planet in transition,’ highlighting the focus on climate change, new technologies, and social challenges. The program includes over 100 sessions, 250 speakers, and discussions across six main areas: ecosystems, reuse, materials, public policy, legislation, and culture. Organizers promise balanced representation from different regions, generations, and genders.
During the day, the main events will be held at the CCIB, while in the evenings Tres Chimeneas will host open discussions and experience sharing. Temporary structures will appear on the territory of the former power station, including a 1,500-seat tribune for collective debates.
A look at the city and the profession
According to UIA vice-president and congress representative Teresa Taboas, Barcelona is once again becoming a ‘laboratory’ for seeking new solutions in architecture. The dean of COAC, Guillem Costa, urged participants to see the forum as a personal platform for sharing experience, while head of the Spanish Council of Architecture Colleges, Marta Vall-llosada, expressed hope that the meeting would help find answers to the challenges of the future.
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni emphasized that it is important for the city to combine architecture and the urban environment, and highlighted the role of jointly designing the forum’s programs and the city’s status as the architecture capital. This year, hosting the congress was the reason Barcelona was awarded the title of ‘World Capital of Architecture.’
Practical details and prices
The full congress participation fee is €240 for professionals and €50 for students. The UIA Awards Ceremony will be held at the Sagrada Familia. The curatorial team includes six architects from different firms: Pau Bajet, Mariona Benedito, Maria Giramé, Tomeu Ramis, Pau Sarquella, and Carmen Torres.
In recent years, Barcelona has become a center for major cultural and professional events. For example, a protest by library workers recently took place in the city during a speech by writer Ali Smith, which caused a significant stir among those in the cultural sector. More about the reaction to this incident can be found in the piece about the librarians’ protest at Sant Jordi.
