The city of Barcelona, along with its metropolitan area, will become a research laboratory as the main venue for the World Congress of Architecture of the International Union of Architects (UIA), scheduled to take place from June 28th to July 2nd, 2026. Its objective is not only for the Congress to be of maximum relevance and interest to the global community of architects but also for real-impact knowledge and practices to emerge in the everyday lives of people and the future of the planet.
Los Angeles officials have voted on a motion to implement the first Park Block, a pilot project that creates a car-free grid of city streets to open up public space for pedestrians and cyclists, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. The plan takes inspiration from Barcelona’s Superblock program, which creates groups of nine blocks in the district of Eixample and restricts the traffic to the outside streets, freeing up the rest of the streets for pedestrian and local transit only. Implemented in 2016, the plan has led to reduced levels of air pollution, urban noise, and traffic fatalities. A similar program is now planned for Los Angeles, United States.
Buildings that are designed to layer stories and memories, evoke a sense of aspiration, define cultural narratives, and build a national identity will always be important in all societies. When buildings have this power to shape communities, make an impact on a city’s image, and change the course of socio-economic growth, then they can be identified as iconic. Though the term “iconic” is subjective, it is one that pushes the boundaries of architecture in any context. It calls for spatial originality, proposes innovative material technology, and necessitates a radical socio-economic investment to be realized.
However, since the economies of developing countries in the global south cannot meet the requirements of these architectural structures, is there a more suitable socio-economic model for monumental structures in this context? Can the incremental principles of small adaptable changes and growth be applied to the finite iconic aspiration of this architecture?
The rights to reconstruct Kisho Kurokawa's iconic Nakagin Capsule Tower are currently sold on one of the largest NFT sites. While the tower’s demolition has begun earlier this year, the auction sells the right to rebuild the structure, in both the metaverse and in real space. The idea of recreating the Metabolic building in a virtual space seems natural. It could allow a larger community to explore an iconic piece of architecture and encourage them to experiment with it, an initiative in line with Metabolist ideals. On the other hand, the idea of reconstructing a demolished historical building in the physical world raises a different set of conflicting emotions. Architectural replicas are not the norm, but their existence raises questions regarding the identity and authenticity of works of architecture.
Tomorrow.Building World Congress (Barcelona, November 7-9, 2023) is the new global event empowering the green and digital transition of buildings and urban infrastructures, a gathering of experts and leaders of the construction industry where to exchange ideas and foster business. Celebrated within the framework of Smart City Expo World Congress, the leading event for cities, for this edition are expected over 25,000 professionals from more than 800 cities and over 600 international speakers that will share their vision on how to build a more sustainable and livable urban future.
