Under the motto Empty Spain, Full Spain. Conciliation Strategies, the XV Spanish Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism (BEAU) has contrasted two territorial realities that are increasingly evident, with the aim of weaving complicities that would allow bringing them closer, positioning architecture and urbanism as tools that can favor their conciliation. It has done so from Barcelona and Valladolid, making them the first two cities to have shared a venue in this state meeting, promoted by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda to award works in these two disciplines that best represent the Spanish panorama. There has also been, as it could not be otherwise, a third virtual venue.
For the curators of this biennial, Óscar Miguel Ares and Eugeni and Anna Bach, the main success of the edition has been the dialogue that has been established with society, opening this event to everyone, not just experts, as happened in previous years. Firstly, the exhibitions that have shown the awarded works in the BEAU have been held outdoors, an issue also influenced by the pandemic. Thus, in Barcelona it could be seen in an installation in front of the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion, which can be visited until September 16, and in Valladolid, in the Patio Herreriano Museum. "We wanted to make citizens more involved in what architecture and urbanism represent," explains Ares.
But this has not been the only way to do it. In Barcelona, an open-air cinema series has been organized this summer in the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion itself, where films have been programmed that spoke about these two countries that have focused the theme of this edition, so opposite and at the same time dependent on each other. Likewise, on September 13 and 15, the CCCB will organize a series of debates that will continue discussing what needs to be done in the face of the current bipolar territorial model in Spain.
While waiting for Barcelona to become the World Capital of Architecture in 2026, events like the BEAU reinforce the city's architectural and urban leadership internationally. As Anna Bach points out, the Catalan capital has many points in its favor to continue excelling in this field, with renowned architects, both modern and contemporary, and an architecture school that continues to attract good professionals. Without forgetting, obviously, its most media-friendly architect, Antoni Gaudí.