The International Union of Architects[1] (French: Union internationale des Architectes; UIA) is the only international non-governmental organization that represents the world's architects, now estimated to number some 3.2 million in all.

About

The UIA was founded on 28 June 1948 in Lausanne, Switzerland, following the merger of the Comité permanent international des Architectes and the Réunion International des Architectes. Its General Secretariat is located in Paris. The organisation is recognised as the only global architecture organisation by most United Nations agencies, including UNESCO, UNCHS, ESOSOC, UNIDO and the World Health Organization as well as the WTO. The current (2021-2023) president is José Luis Cortés from Mexico.

Through its Member Sections, the UIA is represented in over 100 countries and territories, geographically grouped into five regions:

  • Region I: Western Europe
  • Region II: Eastern Europe
  • Region III: The Americas
  • Region IV: Asia and Oceania
  • Region V: Africa

Governing bodies

The governing bodies of the UIA are:

  • The Assembly: the supreme body of the UIA composed of delegates from UIA Member Sections in addition to Council members.
  • Council: between meetings of the Assembly, the Council is responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Union. It is composed of 4 elected members from each of the UIA's five regions in addition to the Bureau members.
  • Bureau: composed of the President, the Immediate Past President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer, and a Vice-President from each Region

Presidents

  • Sir Patrick Abercrombie, United Kingdom (1948-1953)
  • Jean Tschumi, Switzerland (1953-1957)
  • Hector Mardones Restat, Chile (1957-1961)
  • Sir Robert Matthews, United Kingdom (1961-1965)
  • Eugene Beaudouin, France (1965-1969)
  • Ramon Corona Martin, Mexico (1969-1972)
  • Georgui Orlov, USSR (1972-1975)
  • Jai Rattan Bhalla, India (1975-1978)
  • Louis de Moll, USA (1978-1981)
  • Rafael De La Hoz, Spain (1981-1985)
  • Georgi Stoilov, Bulgaria (1985-1987)
  • Rod Hackney, United Kingdom (1987-1990)
  • Olufemi Majekodunmi, Nigeria (1990-1993)
  • Jaime Duro, Spain (1993-1996)
  • Sara Topelson, Mexico (1996-1999)
  • Vassilis Sgoutas, Greece (1999-2002)
  • Jaime Lerner, Brazil (2002-2005)
  • Gaetan Siew, Mauritius (2005-2008)
  • Louise Cox, Australia (2008-2011)
  • Albert Dubler, France (2011-2014)
  • Esa Mohamed, Malaysia (2014-2017)
  • Thomas Vonier, USA (2017-2021)
  • José Luis Cortés, Mexico (2021-2023)

Congresses

The UIA World Congresses are key events for professional and cultural exchange among all the world's architects, bringing together thousands of participants from around the globe. Each event focuses on a different architecture-related theme, developed by eminent personalities from the international architectural, planning and construction fields. Debates, exhibitions, tours and networking events make the UIA Congresses the perfect meeting place for experts, colleagues, friends, and students of architecture.

UIA Congresses are organised by a host UIA Member Section. Congress bids are submitted to the UIA General Assembly and selected by vote six years in advance of the event.

List of congresses from 1948 to 2026

USSR stamp and souvenir sheet of 1958 dedicated to the 5th World Congress of Architecture
USSR stamp of 1958 dedicated to the 5th World Congress of Architecture
USSR souvenir sheet of 1958 dedicated to the 5th World Congress of Architecture
Nr.YearLocationTheme
1st1948Switzerland LausanneArchitecture Faced with its New Tasks
2nd1951Morocco RabatHow Architecture is Dealing with its New Tasks
3rd1953Portugal LisbonArchitecture at the Crossroads
4th1955Netherlands The HagueArchitecture and the Evolutions of Building
5th1958Soviet Union MoscowConstruction and Reconstruction
6th1961United Kingdom LondonNew Techniques and New Materials
7th1963Cuba HavanaArchitecture in Underdeveloped Countries
8th1965France ParisThe Training of Architects
9th1967Czechoslovakia PragueArchitecture and the Human Milieu
10th1969Argentina Buenos AiresArchitecture as a Social Factor
11th1972Bulgaria VarnaArchitecture and Leisure
12th1975Spain MadridCreativity and Technology
13th1978Mexico Mexico CityArchitecture and National Development
14th1981Poland WarsawArchitecture, Man, Environment
15th1985Egypt CairoPresent and Future Missions of the Architect
16th1987United Kingdom BrightonShelter and Cities - Building Tomorrow's World
17th1990Canada MontrealCultures and Technologies
18th1993United States ChicagoArchitecture at the Crossroads - Designing for a Sustainable Future
19th1996Spain BarcelonaPresent and Futures. Architecture in Cities
20th1999China BeijingArchitecture of the 21st Century
21st2002Germany BerlinResource Architecture
22nd2005Turkey IstanbulGrand Bazaar of Architectures
23rd2008Italy TurinTransmitting Architecture
24th2011Japan TokyoDESIGN 2050 Beyond disasters, through Solidarity, towards Sustainability
25th2014South Africa DurbanArchitecture otherwhere
26th2017South Korea SeoulSoul of City
27th2020Brazil Rio de JaneiroAll Worlds. One World. Architecture in the 21st Century.[2]
28th2023Denmark CopenhagenDesign for a Sustainable Future[3]
29th2026Spain BarcelonaOne day, One tomorrow[4]

World Capital of Architecture

On 23 November 2018, the UIA published a Memorandum of Understanding[5] with UNESCO on the new joint label World Capital of Architecture. The title is awarded every three years, according to the rhythm of the UIA World Congresses. Since 2020, the world congress has always taken place in the respective world capital. There is a formal application process for this. The World Congress selects the World Capital for the year of the next World Congress from the shortlist of applications, the formal announcement being made by the Secretary General of UNESCO. In 2020 Rio de Janeiro was the world capital of architecture, 2023 Copenhagen[6] and 2026 Barcelona. A program and a series of major events take place in the respective world capital throughout the calendar year.

UIA Gold Medal

Since 1984 the organisation also awards the UIA Gold Medal to honour an architect (or group of architects) having distinguished themselves through their work and professional practice by the quality of services rendered to man and society. Past recipients of the award were:

YearArchitectCountry
1984Hassan FathyEgypt
1987Reima PietilaFinland
1990Charles CorreaIndia
1993Fumihiko MakiJapan
1996Rafael MoneoSpain
1999Ricardo Legorreta VilchisMexico
2002Renzo PianoItaly
2005Tadao AndoJapan
2008Teodoro Gonzalez de LeonMexico
2011Álvaro Siza VieiraPortugal
2014Ieoh Ming PeiUSA
2017Toyo ItoJapan
2021 Paulo Mendes da Rocha Brazil

UIA Triennial Prizes

The UIA also awards the following five prizes:

  • The Patrick Abercrombie Prize for Urban Planning and Design
  • The Auguste Perret Prize for Technology in Architecture
  • The Jean Tschumi Prize for Architectural Writing & Critique
  • The Robert Matthew Prize for Sustainable & Humane Environments
  • The Vassilis Sgoutas Prize for Implemented Architecture Serving the Impoverished

International design competitions

The UIA manages international architecture competitions.

References

  1. Website. "UIA – INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ARCHITECTS". UIA - INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ARCHITECTS (in French). Retrieved 2021-09-02.
  2. "The IAB presents the official logo of the 2020 UIA congress in Rio | INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ARCHITECTS". 2017-11-13. Archived from the original on 2017-11-13. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  3. "Homepage". UIA 2023 CPH. Retrieved 2021-09-02.
  4. "UIA" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-09-02.
  5. About the World Capital of Architecture, at: official webpage, consulted 1 August 2023.
    • Munk Beilin, Sarah; Dahl, Ellen; Brams, Rikke. Guide to New Architecture in Copenhagen. Copenhagen: Danish Architecture Center. p. 4. ISBN 978-87-90668-71-6.
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