UIA 2026 Barcelona: Shaping the Future of Architecture Through Collective Inquiry
Shaping Tomorrow's Skylines: A Collaborative Vision for Architecture
The Imperative of Adaptation: Embracing Change in Architectural Practice
As the UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 concluded in Barcelona, a resounding message echoed across all discussions, exhibitions, and presentations: the evolution of architecture will increasingly rely on its readiness to embrace transformation and collectively challenge established norms, rather than on finding conclusive solutions. The theme "Becoming. Architectures for a Planet in Transition" framed architecture as a dynamic discipline, continually reshaped by diverse viewpoints, extensive research, and cooperative endeavors.
Addressing Complex Challenges Through Collaborative Design
Critical issues such as housing shortages, excessive resource consumption, climate change adaptation, and public health concerns were identified as intertwined problems that cannot be resolved by any single discipline, project, or organization in isolation. Consequently, many deliberations centered on viewing existing buildings as valuable communal assets. Renovation, repurposing, and adaptive reuse emerged as key strategies for reimagining how architecture can effectively respond to shifting environmental and societal demands.
VELUX's Re:Living Framework: A Holistic Approach to Renovation
These dialogues provided the context for the unveiling of Re:Living, a comprehensive renovation framework introduced by the VELUX Group during the Congress. Grounded in the insights from their Green Paper, "The Housing We Need for the Future We Want," Re:Living investigates how building revitalization can transition from isolated projects to a more systematic and scalable methodology, prioritizing well-being, economic accessibility, and environmental stewardship. Mirroring many of the Congress's discussions, both the Green Paper and Re:Living advocate for ongoing deliberation, practical application, and collaborative engagement.
Rethinking Existing Buildings as Future Residential Solutions
Across Europe, the demand for residential spaces continues to escalate, even as a significant portion of the current building stock remains underutilized, outdated, or energy-inefficient. The Green Paper reveals that roughly 85% of the buildings projected for use in Europe by 2050 are already standing, indicating a vast untapped potential within existing structures.
The Transformative Power of Renovation for European Housing
Developed in partnership with ARTELIA, BPIE, RISE, and No Objectives, the Green Paper meticulously analyzes how Europe's existing building infrastructure can address the multifaceted challenges of housing, climate, energy, and health. Drawing on extensive research into the EU's residential stock, it estimates that strategic renovation, adaptation, and more efficient use of current buildings could yield between 50 and 107 million additional homes. This approach would also significantly reduce the need for new land development, new materials, and associated carbon emissions.
A Call for Collective Action: Scaling Renovation Across Europe
Published as an open invitation to policymakers, researchers, the construction industry, and civil society, the Green Paper aims to stimulate widespread discourse on how to expand renovation initiatives across Europe. The Re:Living framework, developed in collaboration with DGJ Architektur and Transsolar, further elaborates on this research by offering a holistic four-stage process—Re:Think, Re:Scope, Re:Design, and Re:Cover—to translate these concepts into practical applications.
The Enduring Value of Dialogue in Architectural Advancement
This strong emphasis on open discourse resonated throughout the entire Congress, reinforcing the notion that architecture evolves through ongoing exchange rather than rigid certainty. Rather than offering universal answers, numerous sessions fostered interdisciplinary and multi-perspective debates on critical themes such as housing, climate, and urban transformation, all of which necessitate concerted, collective responses.
Exploring Architectural Practice Beyond New Construction
Several supplementary events held concurrently with the Congress exemplified this approach. During "Architects, not Architecture (AnA)," a global event series co-hosted by VELUX in Barcelona, prominent speakers like Winy Maas of MVRDV, Xu Tiantian of DnA_Design and Architecture, and Arno Brandlhuber of bplus.xyz (b+) and HouseEurope! redirected attention from completed projects to the formative experiences, influences, and conceptual ideas that underpin architectural practice. Despite their diverse perspectives, their discussions consistently converged on the opportunities inherent in existing buildings, emphasizing reuse, minimal intervention, and adaptive transformation as central architectural tenets. As Arno Brandlhuber succinctly put it, "You can be successful without building a building."
Nurturing Future Talent: The Light of Tomorrow Competition
The next generation of architects actively participated through the "Light of Tomorrow by VELUX" student competition, organized in close collaboration with the International Union of Architects (UIA). Eight finalist teams presented innovative proposals exploring the role of daylight in architecture to an international jury, with their projects undergoing live critique. The winning submission, "Sun the Quilt," by students from Xi'an University of Architecture and Technology, chosen from 539 daylight projects, vividly demonstrated how ordinary urban conditions can inspire novel architectural responses through the thoughtful integration of daylight, ventilation, and everyday domestic activities. Juror Níall McLaughlin praised the project, stating, "The architects have gone through a problem, gotten to the bottom of that problem, worked it through, and then made it into something that can live and thrive in the world."
Architecture as a Journey of Shared Discovery
Collectively, these initiatives mirrored a broader characteristic of this year's Congress. Whether through rigorous research, vibrant public debates, or imaginative student experimentation, architecture was consistently portrayed as a discipline that thrives on shared inquiry. The discussions surrounding circularity, housing, resource utilization, and existing buildings seldom concluded with definitive answers. Instead, they highlighted continuous processes of collaboration that extend far beyond the duration of the Congress itself. Beyond the formal agenda, the event and the "VELUX x Barcelona Exchange & Experience" fostered a dynamic environment for exchange among architects, students, researchers, industry leaders, and partners globally. This was achieved through engaging conversations, shared experiences, and immersive encounters with Barcelona's unique architectural landscape. The city itself became an inspiring backdrop for exploring how concepts of transformation, reuse, and healthier buildings can transition from theoretical discussion into tangible practic