As part of the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 (UIA2026BCN) curatorial proposal to transform Barcelona into an urban laboratory, one of the Research by Design initiatives has been developed in collaboration with BIT Habitat to launch an urban innovation challenge. This initiative seeks groundbreaking solutions to repurpose construction waste from urban development projects, transforming it into new materials or applications with architectural value.
Within this framework, Barcelona City Council, BIMSA, the Fundació Mies Van der Rohe the Barcelona Provincial Council (DIBA) and the UIA2026BCN have announced the urban innovation challenge: MINERAL. Architectures of Urban Mining.
This project aligns with Barcelona’s sustainability goals by promoting material circularity and urban decarbonization. It is a key component of the Becoming Circular and Becoming Embodied, two of the six prospective lines of the Congress. reinforcing the city’s commitment to sustainable and regenerative urban development. With a total budget of €336,000, the initiative will fund the research and development of two innovative solutions, with selected projects undergoing pilot implementation to assess their impact. The first pilot will be exhibited at the UIA2026BCN and will continue to be developed until December 2027. The challenge aims to inspire groundbreaking architectural solutions, setting a new standard for sustainable urban development in Barcelona and beyond.
Submissions open until 25 April, 2025.
For more details, visit bithabitat.barcelona