The mayor of Barcelona, ??Jaume Collboni, gave this Thursday the “starting signal for the preparation of the world capital of architecture”, which the city will host in 2026, with the aim of “bringing architecture to all citizens.” , because it is everyone’s heritage.” He did so in an event at the Dipòsit del Rei Martí, the water tank at the foot of the Bellesguard tower that was discovered in 2001 and that has been chosen to reflect how “we need architecture to solve humanity’s problems, and “The priority today is climate change.”
Collboni has highlighted the importance of discipline in the city, but not only for the monuments, but also for how it has contributed to “transforming and dignifying the neighborhoods since the arrival of democracy.” “Democracy – he has insisted – begins and ends in the public space, it must be designed, protected and respected.” He has also recalled a “double dimension of the city: the global ambition, as expressed by this capital, and the human scale with the care of public space”, because “cities are the solution, we are not the problem”.
The chief architect of the City Council, Maria Buhigas, has presented the objectives of the capital, which will take place for ten months, “between Santa Eulàlia and Santa Llúcia”, from February to December, in which – in addition to the World Architecture Congress of the International Union of Architects, from June 28 to July 2 – there will be exhibitions, routes, workshops, open doors, conferences and competitions, in a program that has yet to be defined, but has called for the “collaboration of all the community, professional and cultural entities, institutions and schools,” and “has invited citizens to participate in the events.” “Everyone will be able to propose things,” she said, and to do so, a technical office has been opened that depends on the Mies van der Rohe Foundation.
The objectives of the capital status will be, on the one hand, the dissemination of “the values ??and transformative capacity of architecture and urban planning” and promotion, to “make known the historical and contemporary heritage and Barcelona and Catalan architecture”, but wants to do it in a choral way, because the capital “is a structure that we want open and networked”, open to the participation of everyone and that leaves “a material and immaterial legacy beyond 2026.” Emphasizing this opening and decentralization, he highlighted that activities will be carried out “in the ten districts of Barcelona, ??to show wonderful spaces hidden throughout the city.”
Finally, the president of the UNESCO-International Union of Architects committee, Dominique Perrault – in charge of deciding the capital status – has assured for his part that “Barcelona for me is already a capital”, since he has taught classes and has built – the hotel ME and the Diagonal 123 building are his work – and he has indicated that the function of the committee “is not to intervene but to participate in the debate”: “We are interested in accompanying them.”
To prepare for the capital city, this year – from May 14 to June 28 – and next year the Architecture Weeks will be held, until 2026 when what Buhigas has defined as “premium Architecture Weeks” arrives, leaving a legacy and inheritance to “project oneself beyond the moment.”
Catalan version, here