A week with the UIA

Copenhagen Congress

The Coordinating Committee for the 2023 UIA World Congress of Architects met in Copenhagen, Denmark on 10 December. This was an opportunity for the Congress Scientific Committee to present its plans and activities for the event, whose theme will be Sustainable futures - leave no one behind (2-6 July 2023). The Copenhagen City Architect also presented what the city has planned for the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture which will have more than 300 activities. The Coordinating Committee also visited the Congress venue - the iconic Bella Center, renowned for its innovative approach to sustainability and responsible hospitality. The UIA was represented by José Luis Cortés (President), Pei Ing Tan (Secretary General), Seif Alnaga (Treasurer), Teresa Taboas (Region I Council Member) and Sonia Cela (Administrative Director).  

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 Collaboration with Regional Organisations 

UIA Bureau Members met with representatives of partner regional organisations (Africa Union of Architects, Architects' Council of Europe, Balkan Architects Forum, Federación Panamericana de Asociaciones de Arquitectos, Regional de Arquitectos del Grupo Andino and Visegrad 4) on 13 December in Madrid, Spain. During their meeting, they discussed opportunities for strengthened collaboration and the promotion of the architectural profession around the world. The UIA is working with Regional Organisations to attract the latter's members to the Union and to identify programmes of mutual interest for collaboration. 

 UIA Council Meeting

The UIA Council held its first in-person meeting in Madrid, Spain on 13 and 14 December. Members of Council and Past Presidents who were not able to travel participated virtually. During the meeting, the Council deliberated on issues regarding the Union, its governance, the upcoming Madrid Forum, Copenhagen Congress and bids for other UIA events. They reviewed the updated objectives, roadmap and proposed activities of Working Bodies, plans for the Union's 75th anniversary in 2023 and agreed on the need to intensify communication with Member Sections for increased awareness of the UIA's activities. The newly formed Task Force working to develop proposals for the restructuring of the Union made its first report to the Council in preparation for its findings that will be submitted to the Extraordinary General Assembly in Madrid in May 2022.  

 Madrid Forum Launch

The 2022 UIA International Forum taking place in Madrid, Spain was formally launched on 14 December. Dubbed the Affordable Housing Activation: Removing Barriers (AHA Madrid 2022), this event will seek to achieve consensus and establish minimum habitability requirements based on existing knowledge of the barriers to access to housing and of the needs of residents. The Forum will be activated as from the month of January, by promoting parallel activities around the world, and will culminate, in Madrid, on 18-20 May. It will bring together experts and international organizations in the fields of architecture, engineering, economics, urban planning, the environment, sociology, design and art. 

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Affordable Housing Webinar

The UIA hosted a webinar on Affordable Housing on Wednesday 15 December moderated by  Martha Thorne, Dean of IE School of Architecture & Design in Spain. Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi, 2018 Pritzker Prize winner and UIA Past President Sara Topelson were the keynote speakers and UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif and UIA President José Luis Cortés made opening remarks. Heather Dodd, Özgür Bingöl and Dieggo Zoppi also spoke during the event.

A video recording is available in English, French and Spanish on the UIA YouTube channel. 

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 What's next? 

 2022 UIA Year of Design for Health 

The logo competition for the 2022 UIA Year of Design for Health has been successfully concluded with almost 300 entries being submitted from around the world. The international jury composed of Warren Kerr (Australia), Marion Decroocq (France) and Wei Yew (Canada) met virtually on 7 December to select the prize winners for the competition. The results of the competition will be announced on Monday 20 December 2021.

More about the competition

UIA 2030 AWARD

The UIA, in partnership with UN-Habitat, has launched this award to recognise and promote the work of architects which contributes to delivery of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development together with the New Urban Agenda. The deadline for submissions is 3 January 2022. 

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