Barcelona is in luck. The General Assembly of the International Union of Architects (UIA), held in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), has chosen the city to be the UIA-Unesco World Capital of Architecture in 2026 and also host the UIA's annual congress, which has more than 70 years of history. Barcelona's candidacy won by 149 votes to 129 over the one promoted by the Chinese capital, Beijing.
According to the Barcelona City Council, the celebration of the most important architecture event in the sector in 2026 "represents a great opportunity to strengthen the role of the city, Catalonia and the State as centers of production and thought of contemporary architecture and urban design. It will deepen its capacity to transform and improve people's lives, and will serve to highlight the role of architecture and urban planning in shaping a new city model that responds to contemporary challenges", under the motto One today, one tomorrow.
The UIA Congress will be coordinated by the Col·legi d'Arquitectes de Catalunya (COAC) and, in parallel, multiple cultural activities will be organized in collaboration with other countries to convey to citizens the importance and value of architecture and urban planning. "Barcelona will position itself as a cultural, social and economic benchmark," highlights the council, which recalls that Barcelona already successfully organized this congress 30 years ago.
This initiative can contribute to reinforcing the international image of the Catalan capital and consolidating its recognition in the field of architecture. "The 2026 congress wants to appeal to the values of architecture and urban planning as factors of quality of life, well-being and a sense of social and cultural belonging, and the need to make them extensive and relevant to other countries, as a transformative tool and social change to advance towards the cities of the future," points out the city council.
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