Barcelona unveils 2026 Architecture Capital program: 1,500 activities over ten months

Barcelona will be the 2026 World Architecture Capital, hosting over 200 projects and 1,500 activities across ten months of the year.

The celebration will begin on February 12 and conclude on December 13, with each of the ten months dedicated to one district of the city. The first to take the spotlight will be the Eixample.

“Citizens will be able to put on the glasses of architects and urbanists to see how the city transforms,” mayor Jaume Collboni explained on Wednesday during the unveiling of the program.

A central feature of the project will be 54 exhibitions, each accompanied by related activities and lasting from three to six months.

One of the key exhibitions will explore the future of Barcelona from the perspective of its transformation by 2035.

Another major exhibition will focus on Nicolau Maria Rubió i Tudurí, the architect and landscape designer who played a key role in shaping modern Barcelona.

Modernist architect Josep Maria Jujol, a frequent collaborator of Antoni Gaudí, will also be highlighted.

Pablo Picasso will have an exhibition dedicated to exploring the deep relationship between his work and architecture.

The project’s goal is to bring architecture and urbanism "closer to citizens," with a pedagogical approach that demonstrates their positive impact.

“The challenges of the future are the lack of housing and ecological transition. Urbanism is a key transformator for this,” Collboni said.

One of the highlights will be the World Congress of Architecture 2026, held in Barcelona from June 28 to July 2, bringing together hundreds of the world’s most renowned architects.

“Housing crisis and climate emergency that we are currently suffering find architecture as its solution. If we have to build a lot of houses, we need to make sure it fulfils climate criteria,” said Iñaqui Carnicero, secretary general of housing and architecture of Spain's housing ministry.

Beyond reconnecting citizens with architecture and raising awareness of its impact on daily life, the project also seeks to leave a legacy for the city.

One of its flagship initiatives will be a large-scale model of Barcelona, measuring 11 by 9 meters. Another will focus on rehabilitating building façades to enrich the urban landscape while making it more sustainable and livable.

Ten façades, one in each neighborhood, have been chosen for transformation. A competition for young architects—receiving over 400 proposals—will determine who will lead the redesign.

“Improving a neighborhood not only improves the city, but the world,” Collboni said.

Another highlight will be the routes and guided tours organized by 48h Open House Barcelona.

Throughout the year, three districts—Nou Barris, Sants-Montjuïc and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi—will be specially featured, to showcase the architectural value of these often “overlooked” neighborhoods.

The extensive program of the architecture capital has been created “from the bottom to the top,” Collboni explained, with contributions from more than 170 entities, including design and architecture schools, museums, civic centers, libraries, and schools.