The Scientific Committee of the UIA World Congress 2026 (UIA2026BCN) got together on February 18th in a hybrid meeting at the COAC headquarters to evaluate the progress of the curatorial proposal. The Committee plays a crucial role in shaping the academic content of the congress and selecting participants, ensuring a rigorous and innovative approach. It is composed of 25 members, includingRegina Gonthier, President of UIA, Marta Vall-llossera, President of the Congress and CSCAE, Guim Costa Calsamiglia, Director of the Congress and dean of COAC and Teresa Táboas, Vice President of the Congress and UIA´s Region I. Also in attendance were Joan Busquets, the Honorary President of the Congress, and Fuensanta Nieto, the President of the Advisory Scientific Committee.
The architects behind the curatorial proposal Becoming. Architectures for a planet in Transition—Pau Bajet, Mariona Benedito, Maria Giramé, Tomeu Ramis, Pau Sarquella, and Carmen Torres—who are also part of the Committee, presented updates on the development of the programme and the selection of speakers.
The Committee also consists of representatives from the public institutions financing this event. These include Iñaqui Carnicero, the Secretary General of Urban Agenda, Housing and Architecture, who attended the meeting in person, Agustí Serra, Director General of Regional Planning Urbanism and Architecture, who delegated his participation to Elisabeth Tua, and Maria Buhigas, Chief Architect of the Barcelona City Council, who delegated her participation to Anna Ramos Director of Fundació Mies van der Rohe.
Four of the five architects designated by the UIA as advisors—Alessandro Bonizzoni, Yannis Zavoleas, Alejandro Echeverri, George Kunihiro, and Chrisna Duplessis—joined the meeting online (they are) along several of the five CSCAE/COAC´s advisors—Meritxell Inaraja, Josep Lluís Mateo, Mar Santamaria, Elisa Valero, and Oscar Ares.
This Scientific Committee aims to make UIA2026BCN a leading forum for architectural and urbanistic discourse, as well as a laboratory of concrete proposals that can be immediately implement in real life scenarios after the congress.