On Monday, 14 April 2025 a public session was held to present the ongoing selection and research work that will shape next year’s eagerly awaited UIA2026BCN.
During the presentation, the curatorial team, composed by the architects Pau Bajet, Mariona Benedito, Maria Giramé, Tomeu Ramis, Pau Sarquella and Carmen Torres unveiled several features of the Congress including:
- The official venues of the Congress: Tres Xemeneies of Sant Adrià del Besós, Disseny Hub, Sagrada Familia, Moll de la Marina and Castell de Montjuïc.
- The first confirmations of speakers and the Research by Design project: Eva Franch + TAKK, Atelier Bow-Wow, de Vylder Vinck, Colectivo C733, Anna Puigjaner and Forensic Architecture.
- Details about the Call for Participants and its first jury members’ confirmations: landscape architect Catherine Mosbach, Xu Tiantian, historian Samia Henni, architect and researcher Marina Otero, historian Philip Ursprung, architect Lydia Kallipolity, architect Giovanna Borasi, architecture photographer Maxime Delvaux and architect Urtzi Grau.
- Details about the Open Call Mineral. Architectures of Urban Mining, organised by BITHabitat, as a collaboration of Ajuntament de Barcelona, BIMSA, Fundació Mies van der Rohe, Diputació de Barcelona and the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 Barcelona.
The launch event brought together representatives from all the organising institutions, public administrations: Laia Bonet Rull, First Deputy Mayor of Barcelona. Area of Ecology, Urbanism, Infrastructure, Mobility, Public Space and Housing; Filo Cañete, First Mayor of Sant Adrà dels Besós; Marta Vall-llossera Ferran, President of the Higher Council of Professional Associations of Architects of Spain (CSCAE) and the Congress; Iñaqui Carnicero, Secretary-General of Urban Agenda, Housing and Architecture of Spain; Teresa Táboas Veleiro, Vice-President of the International Union of Architects and the Congress; Guim Costa Calsamiglia, Dean of the Architect’s Association of Catalonia (COAC) and Director of the Congress; and Sílvia Paneque Sureda, Councillor for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
Official venues of the Congress: Tres Xemeneies of Sant Adrià del Besós, Disseny Hub, Sagrada Familia, Moll de la Marina and Castell de Montjuïc.
The first confirmations of speakers and the Research by Design project: Eva Franch + TAKK, Atelier Bow-Wow, de Vylder Vinck, Colectivo C733, Anna Puigjaner and Forensic Architecture.