UIA World Congress 2026 in Barcelona: Key Takeaways from Architecture's Flagship Event
In Barcelona, over 10,000 architects from 130 nations convened for the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026, under the theme 'Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition.' The gathering was hosted at the International Convention Centre, DHub Design Museum, and the Tres Chimeneas thermal power plant. Record-high summer temperatures underscored conversations about planetary instability. Six thematic areas were developed by local architects. Among the prominent attendees were Shigeru Ban and Smiljan Radić. Catherine Mosbach merged architecture with ecosystems, while Lacaton & Vassal and H Arquitectes advocated for circular construction. Palinda Kannangara highlighted Buddhist philosophy in residential design, and Marina Tabassum introduced a mobile bamboo housing concept. Eyal Weizman documented the devastation in Gaza, and Jaume Mayol critiqued contemporary housing. Evening events included discussions and performances at Tres Chimeneas.
Key facts
- More than 10,000 architects from 130 countries attended the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 in Barcelona.
- The congress theme was 'Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition.'
- Venues included the International Convention Centre, DHub Design Museum, and Tres Chimeneas thermal power plant.
- Six thematic strands were curated by Barcelona-based architects: More Than Human, Circular, Embodied, Interdependent, Hyper Conscious, and Attuned.
- Shigeru Ban and Smiljan Radić were among the established architects featured.
- Catherine Mosbach presented projects on human-ecological coexistence.
- Lacaton & Vassal and H Arquitectes championed circular construction and resourcefulness.
- Marina Tabassum presented a mobile bamboo housing system for Bangladesh's river communities.
- Eyal Weizman of Forensic Architecture discussed using modeling and open-source intelligence to document Gaza's destruction.
- Tres Chimeneas, a decommissioned power station, will be transformed into a civic and media hub.
Entities
Artists
- Shigeru Ban
- Smiljan Radić
- Catherine Mosbach
- Lacaton & Vassal
- H Arquitectes
- Palinda Kannangara
- Marina Tabassum
- Eyal Weizman
- Leopold Banchini
- Jaume Mayol
- Mariona Bendito
- Juan Herreros
- Rafael Aranda
- Carme Pigem
- Ramon Vilalta
- Kazuyo Sejima
- Junya Ishigami
- Enrique Walker
- Peter Cook
- Benedetta Tagliabue
- Jean-Philippe Vassal
- Antoni Gaudí
- Richard Rogers
- Norman Foster
- Jacques Herzog
- Rafael Moneo
- Wolf Prix
- Daniel Libeskind
- Kenneth Frampton
- Ignasi de Solà-Morales
- Peter Eisenman
- Sandra Bestraten
- Beatriz Colomina
- Mark Wigley
- Josep Maria Montaner
- Igor Peraza
- Zaida Muxí
- Carme Ribas
- Victòria Garriga
- Joan Roig
- Mariona Benedito
- Carmen Torres
- Pau Bajet
- María Giramé
- Pau Sarquella
- Tomeu Ramis
- J. A. Coderch
- Enric Miralles
- Lluís Domènech i Montaner
- Van Morrison
Institutions
- UIA World Congress of Architects
- International Convention Centre
- DHub Design Museum
- Tres Chimeneas
- Forensic Architecture
- Aga Khan Award
- UIA (International Union of Architects)
- RCR Architects
- Sagrada Familia
- Disseny Hub Barcelona
- CCIB (Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona)
- Las Tres Chimeneas
- Mies van der Rohe Pavilion
- MCHAP/IIT Chicago
- Columbia University
- Sala Beckett
- Palacio de Victoria Eugenia de Montjuïc
- Fundació Enric Miralles
- Colegio de Arquitectos de Cataluña
- Casa de la Arquitectura de Barcelona
- Editorial Gustavo Gili
- ETSAB (Escola Tècnica Superior d'Arquitectura de Barcelona)
- Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
- Tecnológico de Monterrey
- UBA (Universidad de Buenos Aires)
- Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
- Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú
- FIU (Florida International University)
- Texas University
- Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie
- Escola da Cidade (São Paulo)
- ITESO (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente)
- ISAD (Instituto Superior de Arquitectura y Diseño)
- Universidad Iberoamericana
- Centro de México
- Arquine
- H Arquitectes
- EMBT (Enric Miralles Benedetta Tagliabue)
- TEST (architecture studio)
Locations
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Bangladesh
- Gaza
- Mallorca
- Switzerland
- Sri Lanka
- France
- Sagrada Familia
- Las Tres Chimeneas
- Besòs River
- Disseny Hub Barcelona
- CCIB
- Mies van der Rohe Pavilion
- Sala Beckett
- Palacio de Victoria Eugenia de Montjuïc
- Fundació Enric Miralles
- Colegio de Arquitectos de Cataluña
- Casa de la Arquitectura de Barcelona
- Editorial Gustavo Gili
- Buenos Aires
- Argentina
- Chile
- Peru
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- United States
- Mexico
- Belfast
- Northern Ireland
- Sant Adrià de Besòs
- Three Chimneys (les Tres Xemeneies)
Sources
- Arquine —
- Arquine —
- Wallpaper Design —