Catalonia International invites 10 foreign journalists to attend the World Congress of Architects

A performance by experimental collective Cabosanroque, together with opening speeches by the organising institutions, officially launched the 2026 UIA World Congress of Architects last night at the iconic Three Chimneys site in Sant Adrià de Besòs. Over five days, from 28 June to 2 July, Barcelona will become the global hub of architecture. Around 10,000 professionals, students and leading figures from more than 130 countries will discuss issues including the climate emergency, the housing crisis, the circularity and sustainability of building materials, and the evolution of public space at both large and small scales.

Catalonia International is collaborating in the organisation of the Congress through an international visitors programme for foreign journalists. The programme brings together 10 journalists representing the following media outlets: Le Monde (France), The Times (United Kingdom), Il Sole 24 Ore (Italy), Público (Portugal), Architektur Aktuell (Austria), Stir World (India), About (Italy), Interni (Italy), Baunetz (Germany) and e-flux (United States).

The Congress has three main venues. The CCIB hosts more than 250 international speakers and 60 UIA representatives taking part in over 40 plenary sessions, debates, open forums, workshops, presentations of original research, award ceremonies and public events. The Three Chimneys site hosts the main exhibition, the afternoon Open Forum sessions and the Congress's social events. Finally, the DHub Barcelona, which is free and open to the public, offers talks, debates and a wide range of activities.

With this urban, decentralised format spread across several landmark venues, the Congress goes beyond the traditional model of a professional conference, inviting participants to experience Barcelona as a city that has historically embraced the transformative power of architecture.

The Congress is convened by the International Union of Architects (UIA), which organises the event every three years, and is hosted by the Architects' Association of Catalonia (COAC) and the Spanish Council of Architects' Associations (CSCAE), with the support of the Government of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council and the Government of Spain. The event will conclude on 2 July with a closing ceremony during which the Congress will be formally handed over to the city of Beijing.