The conference foresees activities in all districts so that the city «remains in architecture.»
The Setmas of Architecture 2025, organized by the City Council of Barcelona, alongside the Mies Van der Rohe Foundation, and a score of strategic and academic partners in this area, will begin on May 12 with the aim of «heating engines» ahead of the world capital of architecture that the city will exercise in 2026.
This was stated by the first deputy mayor of Barcelona, Laia Bonet, at the presentation on Wednesday at the Mies van der Rohe pavilion, where she emphasized that the days will include activities in all districts so that the city «is in architecture.»
She said that the Setmas will represent the same spirit of transversality pursued with the capital, with the aim that architecture «goes beyond its own borders as a discipline» and travels to Barcelona.
«We want to put into practice a way of working with which we are already preparing the capital,» said Bonet, who has defined the role of architecture in Barcelona as a way to remember its origin and project itself towards the future.
Likewise, the title of the world capital architecture has been claimed as a starting point for the city, according to her words, focusing on this discipline in two main challenges: the climate emergency and the housing emergency, and she has defended: «Architecture is not a privilege reserved for a few.»
Conference
The chief architect of Barcelona, Maria Buhigas, presented the conference program, which will last seven weeks and will begin to focus on the educational aspect of architecture, bringing workshops organized by the Association of Architects to 9,700 students from 111 centers.
The second week, more focused on housing cooperatives and new ways of living, will coincide with the architecture and construction fair Construmat, held from May 20 to 22 at Fira de Barcelona, and during the third week guided tours of the Esmuc and other important buildings, various screenings, conferences, and symposia will be scheduled.
The fourth and fifth weeks will see the prominence of Arquin-Fad, which on June 10 will hold the gala of the Fad Awards for Architecture and Interior Design, and 48h Open House, which will open to the public the «hidden corners» of 10 buildings in Barcelona built during the 1929 Universal Exhibition.
Finally, during the sixth week, the Construction Night will take place on Thursday, June 19, organized by the College of Architects of Barcelona, where the construction of Catalonia facilities will be awarded, and during the seventh week, homage will be paid to various disciplines linked to architecture and the 150th anniversary of the Higher Technical School will be commemorated.
The complete program of the SetMas of Architecture, which, according to Bonet, will replicate the «successful» format of the previous edition, can be consulted through the official website www.barcelona.cat/setmanesarquiture.
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