Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition

The UIA 2026 World Congress of Architects was officially launched on April 14, 2025, at the headquarters of the Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) in Barcelona. From June 28 to July 2, 2026, the Catalan city will welcome over 10,000 professionals, academics, and students from around the world to discuss planetary transformations and the role of architecture in addressing the most urgent challenges of our time.

Organized by the International Union of Architects (UIA), the congress is led by the Spanish Council of Architects' Associations (CSCAE) together with COAC, with the institutional support of the City of Barcelona, the Government of Catalonia, and Spain’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda (MIVAU). Recognized as an event of exceptional public interest, the congress will transform Barcelona into a vast urban laboratory dedicated to architecture.

Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition

"Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition" is the theme chosen for the UIA 2026 World Congress of Architects, inviting participants to explore time as a design tool through six interconnected areas of research. Topics will include Becoming More-than-Human, focusing on ecological coexistence; Becoming Attuned, centered on the everyday and poetic practices of living; Becoming Embodied, addressing materials, construction, and responsibility; Becoming Interdependent, exploring space as a relational agent; Becoming Hyper-Conscious, investigating global and local awareness; and Becoming Circular, applying circular economy principles to architecture.

The program has been curated by the curatorial committee composed of Pau Bajet, Mariona Benedito, Maria Giramé, Tomeu Ramis, Pau Sarquella, and Carmen Torres, in collaboration with the scientific committee chaired by Joan Busquets and directed by Fuensanta Nieto.

The two main hubs of the Congress will be the iconic Tres Chimeneas power plant in Sant Adrià de Besòs and the Disseny Hub Barcelona (DHub), a creative center located in the new Plaça de les Glòries. Other symbolic locations around the city, such as Montjuïc Castle, Moll de la Marina, and the Sagrada Família, will host public events, expanding the initiative throughout Barcelona.

Research and Active Participation

Among the new initiatives is Research by Design, commissioning 12 original design research projects to international studios and groups, including Atelier Bow-Wow, Colectivo C733, Anna Puigjaner, de Vylder Vinck, Eva Franch with TAKK, and Forensic Architecture.

At the same time, the international Call for Participants — open until May 23, 2025 — invites architects, urban planners, designers, researchers, artists, and photographers to submit projects, essays, or visual materials addressing the six "Becoming" themes. Selected contributions will enrich the program of conferences, exhibitions, and official publications.

Two additional competitions, aimed at students, will be launched in the coming months: the International Student Competition and the International Student Workshop.

A Global Platform Open to the City

Barcelona will become the first city in the world to host the Congress twice, having previously hosted it in 1996, and will also earn the title of World Capital of Architecture 2026 under the UIA-UNESCO agreement.

As emphasized by Laia Bonet, Deputy Mayor of Barcelona, the goal is for "architecture to permeate the entire city, reaching schools, squares, and museums," turning the Congress into a collective moment of reflection and celebration. Marta Vall-llossera, President of CSCAE, also reiterated that the Congress represents "a global platform for thought and action," while Guim Costa, Dean of COAC and Director of the Congress, described it as "a unique opportunity to showcase the richness and diversity of Barcelona’s architecture."

Tickets will be available starting May 2025 on the official website uia2026bcn.org, with accessible rates to encourage maximum participation.

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