Barcelona is set to host the World Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) this summer, expecting 10,000 professionals to gather in the city. The congress, running from 28 June to 2 July, marks 30 years since the city last welcomed the global architecture community.
Officials from the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC) and local authorities presented the programme on Monday at the COAC headquarters in Barcelona. The event will use three main venues: the Disseny Hub Museum, the Barcelona International Convention Centre (CCIB) in Fòrum, and the Tres Chimeneas in Sant Adrià del Besòs. Full congress passes range from €240 for professionals to €50 for students.
This year, Barcelona holds the title of World Capital of Architecture, a designation that originated from its selection as the congress host. The Sagrada Família will also host the UIA awards ceremony, which takes place every three years to coincide with the congress.
Debating Architecture's Future
The congress theme, “Becoming. Architectures for a planet in transition,” reflects contemporary challenges such as climate change, new conflicts, and artificial intelligence. Six commissioners from different firms, including Pau Bajet, Mariona Benedito, Maria Giramé, Tomeu Ramis, Pau Sarquella, and Carmen Torres, curated the programme. It will feature 250 speakers from 130 countries and more than 100 debate sessions.
An central exhibition spanning 4,000 square metres will be part of the event, alongside 70 itineraries across Barcelona and its surroundings. Some spaces will open to the public for the first time, according to the organisers.
Barcelona as a Laboratory
Teresa Táboas, Vice-President of the UIA and the Congress, encouraged participants, stating, “Once again Barcelona will become a laboratory. Come on, Barcelona, it's your turn again.” Guim Costa, Dean of the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC), highlighted Barcelona's successful bid against Beijing and noted that this is the first time the congress commissioners were chosen through an international competition. This process, he said, “has led to new dynamics and a voice with significant intellectual weight.”
Costa also praised the “intense work linking the COAC, CSCAE, UIA, Barcelona City Council, the Catalan government, and the Spanish Ministry, and the contributions made by the three administrations.” He invited attendees to “make the congress their own.” Marta Vall-llosada, President of the Spanish Council of Architects' Associations (CSCAE), expressed confidence that the gathering “will be a great opportunity to share and advance on the challenges of the future.”
Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni spoke about the “architecture and city binomial” that defines the Catalan capital. He championed “the right to beauty” and applauded the “bottom-up co-creation” of the capital and congress programmes.
Programme Focus and Venues
The commissioners explained that the programme will focus on six key areas: ecosystems, reuse, materials, public policies, legislation, and culture. From 29 June to 1 July, the CCIB will host conferences featuring speakers chosen for their balanced representation of territories, generations, and gender, according to the commissioners. Plenary sessions will be moderated by “critical antagonists” tasked with questioning “dominant narratives.” The schedule also includes conferences, debates, round tables, and workshops for students.
Afternoons will see the Tres Chimeneas take centre stage, serving as an outdoor venue for collective debate and knowledge exchange. Ephemeral structures, including a grandstand with capacity for 1,500 people, will be built around the former thermal power station.
