Andrés Jaque on Design as Activism at UIA 2026 World Congress

At the UIA 2026 World Congress of Architects in Barcelona, architect Andrés Jaque, founder of the Office for Political Innovation and dean of Columbia GSAPP, discussed architecture's role in environmental, political, and social transitions. The congress theme, 'Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition,' framed architecture as operating within transformations rather than apart from them. In an interview with ArchDaily, Jaque emphasized that design is inseparable from activism, argued that transition should be understood as a condition rather than a destination, and highlighted the importance of experimentation in architectural education. The congress took place in Barcelona in July 2026.