Barcelona has officially taken over from Copenhagen as the host city for the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 (UIA2026BCN). During the closing ceremony of the 2023 Congress in the Danish capital, the symbolic handover was made, marking the beginning of Barcelona’s journey as both the UIA2026BCN organizer and the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture.
The UIA General Assembly, held in Rio de Janeiro, awarded the bid to Barcelona with 147 votes, securing its role as host of the prestigious Congress. Thirty years after hosting its first UIA World Congress of Architects in 1996, Barcelona will once again become the global epicenter of architecture in 2026, making it the first city to host the congress twice.
Barcelona’s designation was promoted by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda of Spain, the Government of Catalonia, the Barcelona City Council, the Superior Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE), and the Architects’ Association of Catalonia (COAC). The event is an opportunity to strengthen the global standing of Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain as hubs of architectural production and thought.
Moreover, by virtue of the agreement between the UIA and UNESCO, the city has been designated as the 2026 UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture, reinforcing Barcelona’s role as a global reference in the field of architecture.
Under the theme “One day, one tomorrow,” the UIA World Congress 2026 will address the pressing challenges of urbanism and architecture in a global context of social, environmental, and economic change. The event will serve as a platform for analyzing the future of sustainable cities and exploring architecture as a powerful tool for transformation and progress.