World Congress of Architects

UIA Congresses are organised by a host UIA Member Section. Congress bids are submitted to the UIA General Assembly and selected by vote six years in advance of the event.

The UIA World Congresses are key events for professional and cultural exchange among all the world’s architects, bringing together thousands of participants from around the globe. Each event focuses on a different architecture-related theme, developed by eminent personalities from the international architectural, planning and construction fields. Debates, exhibitions, tours and networking events make the UIA Congresses the perfect meeting place for experts, colleagues, friends, and students of architecture.

18/06/2029 - 21/06/2029

Beijing 2029

Back to Balance – Architecture for everyone’s better life

Under the theme “Back to Balance: Architecture for everyone’s better life”, the 2029 Congress will invite participants to engage in a profound exploration of equilibrium in the context of our rapidly evolving world, and examine how the built environment can be designed in harmony with technology and society.

28/06/2026 - 02/07/2026

Barcelona 2026

Barcelona will become the first city to host the event twice. With the motto “One today, one tomorrow“, the UIA World Congress in Barcelona will look at the city’s relationship with its architecture to discuss a viable and sustainable future.

02/07/2023 - 06/07/2023

Copenhagen 2023

Sustainable Futures – Leave No One Behind

The Congress invites architects and professionals from the building and planning communities to meet in Copenhagen to back the UN 17 Sustainable Goals, to innovate and discover sustainable solutions and to enable a leap forward […]

18/07/2021 - 22/07/2021

Rio de Janeiro 2021

All the worlds. Just one world. Architecture 21.

27th World Congress of Architects: 18 – 22 July 2021 Due to the health crisis and government restrictions on public gatherings, the UIA2021RIO Executive Committee decided to hold the Congress […]

03/09/2017 - 10/09/2017

Seoul 2017

Soul of the City

The 2017 UIA World Congress of Architecture was hosted by the Federation of Institutes of Korean Architects (FIKA) in Korea’s capital city, Seoul. Seoul was designated Creative City of Design […]

03/08/2014 - 07/08/2014

Durban 2014

Architecture otherwhere

Architecture Otherwhere was the theme that defined this forum where all points of view converged, where all voices were heard. Exploring Architecture Otherwhere, other regions, other contexts, other social structures, other […]

30/06/2008 - 03/07/2008

Turin 2008

Transmitting Architecture

Transmitting Architecture was the theme chosen for the Turin World Congress that sought to explore architecture as a means of communication, and the means of communication proper to architecture. The congress will examine […]

09/06/2002 - 12/06/2002

Berlin 2002

Resource Architecture

The twenty-first UIA Congress, on the theme, Resource Architecture, was held on July 22 – 26, 2002, in Berlin, Germany. The official opening of the Congress took place on July 22nd, […]