Welcome to 2026, the year where architecture both pays homage to the past and boldly constructs the future! While the echoes of the Osaka Expo continue and the debates of the Venice Biennale remain fresh, this year we turn our course toward the Mediterranean. From Barcelona taking the global stage to Europe’s most prestigious awards and the (near) completion of a century-old dream, here is your 2026 architecture agenda.
Bookmark this page; because 2026 will be the year theory turns into practice, and drawing turns into concrete (or bio-material).
Upcoming Major Events: The World’s Eyes on Barcelona
UIA World Congress of Architects 2026
- Dates: June – July 2026 (Exact dates coming soon)
- Location: Barcelona, Spain
- Summary: Undisputedly the biggest event of 2026. Declared the UNESCO World Capital of Architecture for 2026, Barcelona hosts the global architecture community with the slogan “One Today, One Tomorrow.” Discussing sustainable urban living, social housing, and heritage preservation, this congress will be the Olympics of architecture in the heart of the Mediterranean.
Mies van der Rohe Award 2026 (EU Mies Award)
- Date: May 2026 (Award Ceremony)
- Location: Barcelona Pavilion, Spain
- Summary: The European Union’s most prestigious contemporary architecture award completes its two-year cycle in 2026. Competing with the best structures completed in the 2024-2025 period, this award is the quality barometer of European architecture. The winning project will set the aesthetic and ethical standards for the coming decade.
Salone del Mobile.Milano 2026
- Dates: April 2026
- Location: Milan, Italy
- Summary: The design world’s unchangeable rendezvous. In the 2026 edition, we will witness AI-assisted furniture designs and “biophilic” interiors shifting from a trend to a standard. Revolutions in kitchen technologies will stand out with the EuroCucina biennial.
News Briefs: Iconic Structures and Milestones
A Dream Comes True: Towers of the Sagrada Familia
- Expected Date: Autumn 2026
- Detail: On the 100th anniversary of Antoni Gaudí’s death, the goal is to complete the “Tower of Jesus,” the tallest tower of his masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia. The construction, ongoing for over 140 years, will make its symbolic finale in 2026. This is a candidate for being one of the most emotional moments in modern architectural history.
Saudi Arabia: The Line and Beyond
- Status: First Phase Delivery Approaching
- Detail: 2026 is a critical turn for the NEOM project’s futuristic city “The Line” and the “Trojena” ski resort. We expect the first modules to become habitable and infrastructure to materialize before the 2029 Asian Winter Games. Utopia or dystopia? We will see the first real photos in 2026.
Pritzker 2026: Who Will Win?
- Prediction: To be announced in March 2026.
- Trend: The jury has prioritized social responsibility and ecological sensitivity in recent years (Francis Kéré, Riken Yamamoto). In 2026, expect a surprise winner from the “Global South” or a collective office.
Stay in the Loop: 2026 Architecture Timeline
Fill your 2026 agenda now. Here is what not to miss:
March 2026: Pritzker Architecture Prize Announcement
The “Nobel” of the architecture world finds its owner. As every year, debates and celebrations will mark March.
April 2026: Salone del Mobile (Milan)
Design week will transform the streets of Milan into an open-air museum. Be at Rho Fiera to see how sustainable materials blend with luxury design.
May 2026: Venice Art Biennale (With an Architectural Touch)
Although it is the “Art” biennale’s turn this year, architects’ installations and spatial experiences will fill the Arsenale. The period where interdisciplinary crossover is most intense.
June – July 2026: UIA World Congress & Barcelona Festival
The peak point of the year. Conferences, exhibitions, open-air workshops… The streets of Barcelona will breathe architecture. A unique opportunity to examine the results of the city’s famous “Superblock” project on-site.
June 2026: London Festival of Architecture (LFA)
Europe’s largest annual architecture festival. London’s changing skyline and temporary pavilions along the River Thames will question urban public space.
October 2026: World Architecture Day
The first Monday of every October. Simultaneous events and panels worldwide within the framework of the theme to be determined by the UIA.
November 2026: World Architecture Festival (WAF)
(Location TBD – Likely Singapore or Lisbon). The year-end finale event where the world’s best buildings compete with live jury presentations.
December 2026: Gaudí Commemorations and Sagrada Familia Celebrations
The year will end with a magnificent tribute to Gaudí’s legacy and the new tower of the never-ending church touching the sky.
Why Does This Matter?
In 2025 we discussed “how can we do it,” 2026 will be the year of tangible results where we say “we did it.” From Gaudí’s 100-year patience to NEOM’s accelerated future, the concept of time is being redefined in architecture.
Stay tuned; because the future is being built faster than you think.