Archinect - News

Sagrada Familia reaches important construction milestone

2023-10-03T18:41:00-04:00

More than 140 years after a Spanish bishop laid the cornerstone of Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia basilica, the famously incomplete church is inching toward the finish line, with five of its six central towers now finally fully built as of last week.

The four completed towers symbolize the Evangelist authors of the Bible’s canonical Gospels. The tallest tower, which represents Christ, will follow in 2026. Some doubts remain as to whether or not the construction timeline can stick to its scheduled completion by the end of that year, which will also see Barcelona’s turn as the UIA World Capital of Architecture.

A small contingent of residents who claim the destruction of Gaudí's papers by Anarchists during the Spanish Civil War constitutes grounds for an injunction remains an impediment. Controversial plans for a monumental grand staircase entrance to the Glory facade are also continuing over concerns of displacement that have marred their construction since the late 1970s.

Scaffolding at the site is expected to be removed soon.

Barcelona has been announced as the UIA's 2026 World Capital of Architecture

2021-07-29T18:53:00-04:00

Barcelona has been named the 2026 World Capital of Architecture by the International Union of Architects (UIA), joining Rio de Janeiro and Copenhagen on a list of cities to receive the UNESCO-backed distinction.

The Catalan capital beat out Beijing for the next edition of the honor and will now host the UIA’s triennial conference and general assembly following the recent anointment of Copenhagen, which will hold the title in 2023.

Barcelona’s winning bid was titled “One today, one tomorrow” and will explore the city’s relationship to sustainability drives and the future of architecture “with the aim of transferring [to] the whole of the society the importance and value of architecture and urbanism,” according to a COAC statement.

The congress is slated to coincide with the long-awaited completion of the Sagrada Familia in time for the 100th anniversary of the tragic death of its architect An...

UNESCO-UIA names Copenhagen the new World Capital of Architecture for 2023

2021-07-27T13:55:00-04:00

The city of Copenhagen has been officially designated as World Capital of Architecture for 2023 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay, on the recommendation of the General Assembly of the International Union of Architects (UIA). This decision is in keeping with the partnership agreement established between UNESCO and the UIA in 2018, through which UNESCO designates the host cities of UIA’s World Congress as World Capitals of Architecture.

Copenhagen follows Rio de Janeiro, who was the inaugural holder of the title. The Danish capital will host a series of major events and programs on the theme “Sustainable Futures — Leave No One Behind.” In cooperation with the Danish Association of Architects and various Nordic professional groups, the city will explore how architecture and urban planning can contribute to realizing the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Previously on Archinect: UNESCO names Rio de Janeiro as first World Capital of Architecture

After Copenhagen 2023, the next holder will be either Barcelona or Beijing, who are contending to claim the World Capital of Architecture title in 2026. The official decision will be made later this year.

“We are very happy to see the torch of the World Capital of Architecture title pass to Copenhagen from Rio de Janeiro,” said Azoulay. “The inaugural World Capital of Architecture in Rio was a real success, underlining the important role of urban planning, not...

UNESCO names Rio de Janeiro as first World Capital of Architecture

2019-01-22T13:46:00-05:00

UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture Ernesto Ottone R, Thomas Vonier, President of the International Union of Architects (UIA), and Verena Vicentini Andreatta, Municipal Secretary of the City of Rio for Urbanism, on Friday 18 January announced that the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) will be the World Capital of Architecture for 2020.

The new World Capital of Architecture initiative is part of a recent partnership between UNESCO and the International Union of Architects (UIA) and allows the designated city to host the triennial UIA World Congress.

Under the theme "All the worlds. Just one world," Rio de Janeiro is expected to hold a series of events throughout 2020.