The congress will bring together participants from more than 130 countries to discuss the future of architecture in response to urban, social and environmental challenges. Organised by the International Union of Architects, the Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España and the Col·legi d’Arquitectes de Catalunya, the programme includes around 100 conferences, debates, workshops, forums and research presentations. Under the theme Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition, discussions will focus on ecology, circular economy, materials, urban policies, data and culture.

CCIB at the centre of Barcelona’s World Capital of Architecture programme

The CCIB will host plenary sessions, parallel meetings, working groups and the congress closing ceremony across more than 10,000 square metres of event space. Designed by Josep Lluís Mateo and Herzog & de Meuron, the venue combines large-scale congress infrastructure with contemporary architecture on Barcelona’s waterfront. The congress forms part of Barcelona’s designation as UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture 2026, which includes a citywide programme of exhibitions, cultural activities and public events. The 2026 edition also marks the second time Barcelona has hosted the UIA World Congress of Architects, following its first edition in 1996.