The Architect’s Blues: Navigating the Climate and Housing Crisis in Times of Economic Uncertainty
June 30, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Design Hub. Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes 38C, Sant Martí. Auditorium, 4th Floor.
Format: In-person.
Registration Type: Free registration required.
The architecture and design sectors face a triple crisis: economic uncertainty, the urgency of decarbonization, and a shortage of affordable housing. Organized by C40 Cities, this session explores the so-called “Architect’s Blues”—the professional and ethical tension between climate and social responsibilities on the one hand, and harsh market constraints on the other.
While architecture serves as a vehicle for inclusive social design, in many cities the slowdown in the real estate market has resulted in delayed or cancelled projects, reduced commissions, and limited opportunities for professional development. Today, design professionals must deliver net-zero affordable housing and explore the revitalization of underused office spaces, all while facing rising material costs and increasingly constrained budgets.
This tension, although challenging, acts as a catalyst for innovation in adaptive reuse and regenerative design. Bringing together urban policymakers, leading architects, and financial experts, this session examines how municipal policies and planning frameworks can transform these pressures into opportunities, enabling architects to lead the transition toward sustainable and socially responsible urban design.
Speakers/Guests:
María Buhigas San José, City Architect of Barcelona.
Lars Jensen, City Architect of Copenhagen (to be confirmed).
Petra Marko, CEO of the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava and Director of TU-BA (Bratislava Architecture Centre).
Marion Waller, Director of the Pavillon de l’Arsenal (Paris Architecture Centre).
Kent Martinussen, Danish architect and CEO of the Danish Architecture Centre.
Tatiana Bilbao, Founder and Principal of Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, Mexico.
Rodia Valladares, Design Principal and Partner at Studio Gang, France.
Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, Architect and Founding Partner of Snøhetta, Norway.
Laura Viscovich, Executive Director of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction.
Jacob Meyers, Holcim Foundation Fellow and Emerging ChangeMaker.
Helene Chartier, Director of Urban Planning and Design at C40 Cities.
Event Language: English.
Organizers: C40 Cities.
Website: https://www.c40.org/