Pilgrimage is one of the oldest and most persistent cultural practices, a spatial expression of humanity's search for meaning that has taken form across geographies and religions. While traditionally tied to formal belief systems, its definition has expanded in recent decades, reflecting new understandings of what is sacred and where meaning can be found. This shift reveals something fundamental: the act of moving through space remains central to how people construct meaningful experience. Yet most built environments constructed today are designed to be approached at speed from roads, transit corridors, airports, and optimized urban cores. The Camino de Santiago stands as a sustained counterargument to this condition. It is a piece of distributed architecture, refined over centuries, that remains a sophisticated example of design organized around the moving human body.

+ 36

Santiago de Compostela, located in northwestern Spain, is celebrated worldwide as the final destination of the historic Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. The city's architectural identity is deeply rooted in its UNESCO World Heritage-listed historic center, where Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles converge. Iconic landmarks like the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral and its surrounding plazas embody Spain's rich cultural and spiritual legacy, forming the heart of this timeless urban fabric.

In recent decades, Santiago has evolved into a hub for contemporary architectural exploration, blending its historic charm with modern interventions. Projects such as Eisenman Architects' City of Culture reflect an ambitious dialogue between avant-garde design and Galicia's natural landscape. Complementing this are works by Álvaro Siza Vieira, Arata Isozaki, Francisco Mangado, and other renowned architects, who incorporate local materials and forms into forward-thinking designs. Together, these works position Santiago de Compostela as a dynamic architectural destination within Spain's broader cultural narrative.

+ 18

+ 21

No País dos Arquitectos is a podcast created by Sara Nunes, who also runs the architectural film production company Building Pictures. The podcast aims to introduce the professionals, projects, and stories behind leading contemporary Portuguese architecture. With just over 10 million inhabitants, Portugal is a fascinating country when it comes to this professional field, and its architectural output far exceeds what its small population or territorial scale might suggest.

In this week's episode, which closes the second season of interviews, Sara talks with architect Manuel Aires Mateus about his design for the EDP Headquarters in Lisbon. Listen to the interview and read the transcript of the conversation below:

+ 22

'Heritage and Modernity’ is the main theme of the Euskadi International Architecture Biennale / Mugak 2021 — one of the most significant architectural events in northern Spain. Within this framework, architect and economist Francisco Mangado participated prominently at the Bibat Museum in Vitoria-Gasteiz with a discussion on his architectural work, and we took the opportunity to interview him to learn his views on the subject.

+ 24

The Spanish Architecture Prize (Premio de Arquitectura Española) has been awarded biennially by the Higher Council of the Colleges of Architects of Spain (CSCAE) since 1993 to promote the quality of architectural works built across Spain.

The award has recognized built works by architects such as Enric Miralles, Mansilla y Tuñón, Sara de Giles, and Francisco Mangado Beloqui, among others, with projects including the Royal Collections Museum and the Palma Convention Center and Hotel. Explore all the winning projects below.

In Asunción (Paraguay), the XI Ibero-American Architecture and Urbanism Biennial (XI BIAU) have presented the winners of the Panorama de Obras section (Projects Panorama) of this contest edition, "all faithful to the spirit of the XI BIAU: living, the inhabitant," according to the organization.

Among 997 proposed works throughout Latin America, 17 architectural works —predominantly public projects— built in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay and Venezuela are the winners of the XI BIAU.

In Asunção, Paraguay, the XI Ibero-American Biennial of Architecture and Urbanism announced today the winners of the Panorama of Works section for this edition of the event, "all faithful to the spirit of the XI BIAU: inhabiting, the inhabitant," according to the organizers.

Out of 997 projects in Latin America, 17 architectural works—predominantly for collective use—built in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Spain, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay, and Venezuela were awarded.

+ 22

+ 22

+ 15

+ 38

+ 46

+ 32

+ 24