EAAE Annual Conference and General Meeting
The Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) is honoured to host the 2025 EAAE Annual Conference, an event that coincides with the 150th anniversary of the school’s foundation. This milestone provides a unique opportunity to reflect on the pedagogies of european architecture schools and their role in shaping the architects of tomorrow.
As we navigate the complexities of contemporary architecture, four key themes emerge as guiding principles for a more conscious and responsive practice. Architecture as Synthesis challenges us to reconnect with fundamental architectural principles while adapting to an ever-evolving world. Learning from Archives explores how historical records shape our understanding of architecture, offering fresh interpretations of the discipline’s past, present, and future. No Demolish urges us to reconsider the environmental and social costs of construction, advocating for sustainable, regenerative practices that prioritise reuse over destruction. Finally, Skills and Crafts reaffirms the importance of slow, handson learning, countering the mechanised efficiency of contemporary production with a renewed focus on human-centred design. Together, these perspectives encourage a critical reassessment of how we teach, build, and create in the 21st century.
Although it may seem distant, the Roman architect Vitruvius posed two fundamental questions that continue to resonate today: What is architecture? and What should architects know? These questions remain central to architectural education, underscoring the need for a curriculum that embraces complexity rather than simplifying it. Architecture schools must equip students with a multi-layered education that connects disciplines, scales, and temporalities, fostering a broad and critical perspective. Our graduates will not only become skilled professionals but also active contributors to the ongoing narrative of architecture –a discipline in constant transformation.
Professors and students from architecture schools in Europe are invited to present their teaching experiences in the form of an oral presentation (the summary of which will be published in a book of abstracts) and an extended article (to be published in the form of a book chapter). All contributions will contextualise the first 150 years of teaching at the Barcelona School of Architecture.
As part of this event, we will highlight ETSAB’s rich educational heritage through a curated collection of original documents that exemplify its long-standing tradition. The archive includes materials from the school’s teaching activities, featuring graduation projects dating back to 1875. Additionally, it preserves projects from earlier institutions that trained master builders and surveyors between 1850 and 1872, even before ETSAB’s official foundation.
The Arxiu EtsaB·Càtedra Gaudí serves as a specialised documentary archive, housing a vast array of materials, including photographs, objects, maps, models, and original drawings. Beyond its role as a repository, it functions as a dedicated research unit focused on the study of 19th- and 20th-century architecture, offering valuable insights into the evolution of architectural thought and practice.
By engaging with historical knowledge while embracing contemporary challenges, this conference invites us to rethink the future of architectural education, ensuring that it remains a dynamic and transformative force in shaping the built environment.
President’s Message
In a world marked by uncertainty, instability, and sudden upheavals, architecture – especially architectural education – is compelled to lead the way in addressing the profound questions confronting our society and built environments. In this context, the mission of our network association, which fosters dialogue, innovation, and collaboration to advance the quality of architectural education across Europe and beyond, assumes paramount importance.
The themes of this year’s European Association for Architectural Education Annual Conference, Transhistorical Pedagogies, invite us to challenge the traditional boundaries of architectural education. Through topics such as Architecture as Synthesis, No Demolish, Learning from Archives, and Skills and Crafts, we are encouraged to strike a balance between tradition and transformation, explore sustainable approaches, cultivate critical thinking and craftsmanship, challenge prevailing conventions, and embrace novel perspectives in pedagogy and research. Together, we have the opportunity to reimagine architectural education as a catalyst for innovation and critical reflection – a space where the next generation of professionals can engage with both the past and the future in meaningful ways.
On behalf of the council members and the entire EAAE network, I extend my sincere gratitude to the esteemed colleagues at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Arquitectura de Barcelona for hosting this exceptional event.
I look forward to joining you all in Barcelona for what promises to be an inspiring and enriching experience!
With kindest regards,
Dr. Arch. Roberto Cavallo
EAAE President
Chair’s Welcome
The Barcelona School of Architecture, approaches architecture not just an academic discipline – but as an ongoing dialogue with the world. Like many European architecture schools, ETSAB-UPC thrives on a profound and evolving relationship with the practice of architecture. Here, teaching is not a simple transfer of knowledge, but the dynamic fusion of thoughtful critique and hands-on experimentation that meets society’s ever-shifting demands.
Our educational philosophy is deeply intertwined with time. Teaching draws from the rich heritage passed down by past generations – a legacy that we proudly safeguard in the Barcelona School of Architecture Archive. This historical foundation empowers us to address today’s challenges while boldly charting a course for the future.
In our schools, the continuum of time is palpable: the lessons of the past inform our present endeavors, and our innovative approaches today lay the groundwork for the architectures of tomorrow. By integrating foresight into our teaching, we transform emerging challenges into opportunities for creative proposals destined to shape the future landscape.
This transformative power of education propels us to explore the essential dimensions of our field – be it the art of synthesis, the nuances of rehabilitation, the meticulous curation of archives, or the enduring value of craftsmanship – all aimed at forging a better world.
This year’s European Association for Architectural Education Annual Conference, themed “Transhistorical Pedagogies,” encapsulates these enduring issues through an engaging series of lectures and papers. These topics remain central to our mission and to that of ETSAB, which has long been a driving force behind the urban and cultural evolution of Barcelona – a city that itself serves as a vibrant canvas for architectural experimentation.
In celebrating our 150th anniversary, we mark not only a historical milestone but also a renewed commitment to shaping the future of architectural education in partnership with our esteemed colleagues.
Félix Solaguren-Beascoa del Corral
Dean of the Barcelona School of Architecture
Programme
WEDNESDAY 27 AUGUST
- 12.00 – 14.00 hCooperative housing in Barcelona
Welcome and Registration
16.00 – 17.00 hOpening Ceremony
17.00 – 17.30 hRoberto Cavallo, EAAE President
Félix Solaguren, ETSAB Dean- 17.30 – 18.30 h
VELUX EVENING / EXHIBIT
18.30 – 19.00 hOPENING RECEPTION
19.00 – 21.00 h
THURSDAY 28 AUGUST
- 10.00 – 11.00 h
COFFEE BREAK
11.00 – 11.30 h- 11.30 – 13.30 hLearning from archivesGUEST SPEAKER
LUNCH
13.30 – 15.00 h- 15.00 – 17.00 hIt’s time!
Architecture as synthesisGUEST SPEAKER YOUNG TALENT AWARDS
17.00 – 18.30 hOpening ceremony and lecture
FRIDAY 29 AUGUST
- 9.00 – 11.00 hNo demolishGUEST SPEAKER
COFFEE BREAK
11.00 – 11.30 h- 11.30 – 13.30 hSkills and craftsGUEST SPEAKER
LUNCH
13.30 – 14.00 hGeneral Meeting
14.30 – 17.00 h- 17.00 – 18.30 h
FAREWELL DINNER
20.00 – 22.30 h
SATURDAY 30 AUGUST
- 11.00 – 15.00 hAntoni Gaudí(Cripta + Colònia Güell)
- 11.00 – 13.00 hAntoni Gaudí(Bellesguard + Sagrada Família)
- 11.00 – 13.00 hRicardo Bofill Taller d’Arquitectura (Walden 7)
4 Sessions
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
Architecture as synthesis
SESSION 3
SESSION 4
SESSION 1
Over the last two centuries, architecture schools have produced a diverse range of physical and digital materials, formats and techniques that constitute a veritable transhistorical archaeology of media. The Barcelona School of Architecture Archive has collected over 100,000 registered items since it was created in 1817: drawings, photographs, transcripts, models, audiovisuals and plaster casts by teachers, from Antoni Celles to Rafael Moneo, and the exercises of architecture students such as Antoni Gaudí and Enric Miralles. All are subjects of exchange networks with European and American Schools that suggest far-reaching interpretations for the future.
If changes in archival research are influencing the production of architectural history, they also offer a way to re-witness the past. The paper will address these issues in an attempt to transcend historical boundaries in teaching and explore nonlinear temporalities. How does the notion of architecture differ from those expounded in other periods? Where is the limit between analogue and digital? Do digital techniques function as evidence of new historical narratives?
SESSION 2
Architecture as synthesis
The current paradigm shift, which is characteristic of the cyclical culture of the collapse of capitalism, has resulted in the relegation of architectural synthesis to the background. It is frequently asserted that the current educational system is inadequately preparing students to navigate the complexities of the 21st century. Has this been the first occasion on which architects have perceived a loss of connection with the prevailing ‘Zeitgeist’, the advances of technology or the crucial demands of society?
As a dynamic and evolving discipline, architecture should awaken as a crucible where fundamentals are reforged. It is therefore incumbent upon us to address the challenges inherent in reconciling the traditions and inertia of architectural schools with the complexity of the present.
It is a matter of survival and transformation, tackling how architecture could embody a new existential anthem to life. As the renowned philosopher Rüdiger Safranski posited, every aspect of our earthly existence, including inhabiting, should be perceived as unique.
SESSION 3
Under pressure from profit-driven economies, global construction practices are expanding relentlessly, impacting the environment, water systems, communities and countless ecosystems. Moving towards a more sustainable future requires a shift from extraction to regeneration, relying on what already exists. Rather than demolish and rebuild, we can focus on building less, reusing what’s here, inhabiting it in new ways and nurturing its value.
What if we stopped building by destroying and opened up new possibilities? From redistributing existing buildings and rethinking the nature of value creation, to implementing anti-extractive policies, embracing structural change, updating educational frameworks and dismantling exploitative industrial norms. Such shifts point to an overhaul in the way we design and build.
SESSION 4
Critical thinking and design processes applied to architecture, cities and landscapes require a slow pace. True understanding in these fields requires depth of learning and sedimentation. In a society that values quick results and instant gratification, this commitment to a more deliberate process is radical, even subversive.
Artisanship is emerging as a critical antidote to the dehumanizing effects of artificial intelligence and mechanised learning. The artisan’s approach – one that values hands-on skill, intimate material knowledge and a slower, more immersive process – is an implicit critique of the ‘faster, cheaper’ ethos that defines much of contemporary design and production. A work that bears the imprint of human labour, care and individuality. It’s an act of defiance against the encroaching standardisation and algorithmic thinking that is stripping architecture of its humanity.
Speakers
Marta Peris and José Toral
KEYNOTE 1Wednesday 27 August17.30 – 18.30 h
Carme Pinós
KEYNOTE 2Thursday 28 August10.00 – 11.00 h
João Luís Carrilho da Graça
SESSION 1Learning from archivesThursday 28 August11.30 – 13.30 h
Blanca Lleó
SESSION 2It’s time!
Architecture as synthesisThursday 28 August15.00 – 17.00 hAnna Sala
YOUNG TALENT AWARDSThursday 28 August17.00 – 18.30 h
Mara Partida and Héctor Mendoza (Mendoza Partida)
SESSION 3No demolishFriday 29 August9.00 – 11.00 hIrene Pérez (TEd’A arquitectes)
SESSION 4Skills and craftsFriday 29 August11.30 – 13.30 h
Pedro Azara Nicolás
CLOSING CEREMONY AND KEYNOTE 3Friday 29 August17.00 – 18.30 h
Marta Peris and José Toral
Marta Peris is a doctor of architecture and lecturer at the ETSAB. She presented her doctoral thesis in 2016, entitled ‘The Japanese House through the Cinema of Yasujiro Ozu’, published in 2019 under the name ‘Ozu’s House.’ Her work with José Toral has been recognised with the Riba International 2024 award, the CSCAE Spanish Architecture 2022 award, and they have been finalists for the EU Mies Award 2022. Their work has been exhibited at the Cité de l’Architecture in Paris 2022, Best architecture exhibition Spain-Korea Seoul 2021, in the Spanish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2016, at the UIA Tokyo 2011, among others. Both their works and their writings have been widely published in national and international magazines and media.
Carme Pinós
Carme Pinós is graduated in Architecture, Urbanism and Landscape Architecture from the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB) in 1979. From 1982 to 1991 she shared a studio with Enric Miralles with which she gained international recognition through projects such as the Igualada Cemetery Park and the Olympic Archery Range Facilities in Barcelona. She then went on to establish her own firm, Estudio Carme Pinós. Since then, she has worked on numerous projects ranging from urban refurbishments and public works to furniture design. Her sharp approach to design, anchored by a constant focus on experimentation and research, has made her work garner worldwide recognition at the same time that Barcelona architecture has cemented its own identity and reputation throughout Europe and South and North America.
João Luís Carrilho da Graça
João Luís Carrilho da Graça is an architect, graduated from ESBAL (Faculdade de Belas-Artes da Universidade de Lisboa) in 1977, the year he initiated his professional activity. He has lectured at the Faculty of Architecture of the Technical University of Lisbon between 1977 and 1992, and he has been professor at the Autonomous University of Lisbon from 2001 to 2010, and at the University of Évora since 2005. Among the many awards he has received are the ‘Piranesi Prix de Rome’ in 2010 for the Archaeological Museum of Castelo de São Jorge, the FAD prize in 1999 and the VALMOR prize in 1998 for the Knowledge of the Seas Pavilion at Lisbon exhibition 1998, the SECIL prize in 1994 for the School of Media of the IPL (Lisbon Polytechnic Institute), and the nomination for the EU Mies Award in 1990, 1992, 1994, 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Blanca Lleó
Blanca Lleó has a doctorate in architecture from the Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM) and is a Professor of Architectural Design at the Madrid School of Architecture (ETSAM). She has had her own architectural practice since 1985. She obtained her PhD in Architecture in 1996 with the thesis The house, the dream of living in the modern project, an unfinished project (UPM), awarded in 1997 with the First Architecture Doctoral Thesis Competition of the Caja de Arquitectos Foundation. She has worked on notable projects such as the Mirador (2005) and Celosía (2009) residential complexes in Madrid and the Faro de Nules lighthouse.
She is also known for her commitment to the design of urban and social housing, with a focus on sustainability. She is a member of the Real Academia de Doctores de España.
+ info: https://dpaetsam.com/facultad/lleo-fernandez-blanca/
Anna Sala
Anna Sala is graduated in Architecture from the Barcelona School of Architecture ETSAB (2012), and master in Theory and Practice of the Architectural Design at the UPC (2013). Associate professor at the Department of Architectural Projects at the ETSAV-UPC since 2019, she is currently completing her doctoral thesis at the Department of Architectural Projects ETSAB-UPC, with an international stay at FAUL – Universidade de Lisboa 2022). She has been a curator at the Fundació Mies van der Rohe since 2014, where she develops exhibition and editorial projects at an international level. She is curator of the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Awards and coordinator of the EUmies Awards Young Talent.
Mara Partida and Héctor Mendoza (Mendoza Partida)
Mendoza Partida is an international architecture practice based in Barcelona, the product of the symbiosis and connection between Hector Mendoza and Mara Partida. A practice whose activity centres principally on the design of cultural amenities and housing, areas where its solutions, as well as responding perfectly, bring exceptional wellbeing. Mendoza Partida creative activity has been consolidated by winning, as founders of MX_SI, numerous national and international competitions, and receiving various awards.
Irene Pérez (TEd’A arquitectes)
Irene Pérez Piferrer is an architect from ETSAV-UPC (2001) and co-director of TEd’A arquitectes. She studied at Università degli Studi Roma Tre (1999) and has been a guest lecturer and jury member at prestigious institutions like Harvard, Cornell, ETH Zurich, and Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, where she currently teaches.
Her architectural approach emphasizes materiality, tradition, and contemporary reinterpretation. Her work has been exhibited internationally, including the Venice Biennale, the Lisbon Triennale, and exhibitions in Tokyo, Berlin, and Paris. She has received multiple awards, such as the BEAU XV (2021), the BEAU XIV (2018), the ENOR Prize (2017), the FAD International Prize (2018), and the Brick Award (2020).
Pedro Azara Nicolás
He is an architect and professor of Aesthetics at the Barcelona School of Architecture (ETSAB). Born in Bois-Colombes, France, in 1955, he has curated exhibitions such as “Soul Houses” (CCCB, 1997) and “Before the Flood: Mesopotamia 3500-2100 BC” (CaixaForum, 2012). His publications include La imagen y el olvido: el arte como engaño en la filosofía de Platón (1995), Castillos en el aire: mito y arquitectura en Occidente (2002), Mediterráneo. Del mito a la razón (Editorial Tenov, 2014), and La Ciudad de los Días Lejanos. Un imaginario proscrito (Editorial Asimétricas, 2024). He has also participated in archaeological missions in Syria and Iraq. Additionally, he has collaborated as an advisor for the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York.
Tours
Cooperative housing in Barcelona
Antoni Gaudí
(Cripta + Colònia Güell)
Antoni Gaudí
(Bellesguard + Sagrada Família)
Ricardo Bofill Taller d’Arquitectura (Walden 7)
The cooperative group of architects La Col – along with other local offices based in Barcelona – exemplify a strong commitment to socially and environmentally sustainable housing in their proposals. Focusing on collective housing models, their work challenges traditional ownership structures by promoting self-management, affordability and strong community ties. La Borda redefines urban housing through communal spaces, ecological construction and cooperative ownership. A visit to La Borda offers a first-hand look at their innovative approach to democratising housing and promoting social cohesion through architecture.
The Colònia Güell Crypt, designed by Antoni Gaudí, is a key work in the evolution of his oeuvre and an essential visit to understand his innovative techniques. Promoted by the Count of Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervelló as part of an industrial colony near Barcelona, the crypt shows Gaudí’s pioneering use of catenary arches, organic forms and experimental materials, which would later influence his masterpiece, the Sagrada Família. The structure blends harmoniously with nature, reflecting his deep connection with natural forms. A visit to the crypt offers a unique insight into Gaudí’s creative process and his visionary approach to architecture.
The Bellesguard Tower, designed by Antoni Gaudí, is deeply linked to Catalonia’s medieval past. Built on the site of the former residence of King Martin I (Martí l’Humà), the last monarch of the House of Barcelona, the tower reflects Gaudí’s reading of history. Influenced by the Gothic Revival ideas of Viollet-le-Duc, Gaudí reinterpreted medieval forms with symbolic elements and advanced structural techniques. A visit to Bellesguard offers a unique insight into Gaudí’s lesser-known work and its connection to both Catalan heritage and 19th-century architectural thought.
Walden 7, designed by Ricardo Bofill’s Taller de Arquitectura, is a radical statement on collective housing and urban space that marks a turning point in Bofill’s career. Prior to this project, he had explored monumental geometry and alternative housing models in works such as the Castillo de Kafka (1968) in Sant Pere de Ribes and the Muralla Roja (1973) in Calpe. His Barrio Gaudí (1968) in Reus, a fragmented housing complex with dynamic, interconnected spaces, was an important precedent, reflecting his interest in breaking with conventional urban planning. With Walden 7, the Taller de Arquitectura took these ideas to their most ambitious form, rejecting standardisation in favour of a modular yet highly organic structure. Conceived as a self-sufficient vertical city, its labyrinthine design, suspended walkways and communal terraces promote a new way of living that encourages interaction and flexibility. The building embodies a utopian vision of collective living and is a must see to understand Bofill’s architectural evolution and radical rethinking of urban space.
Gallery
Credits
European Association for Architectural Education EAAE
The European Association for Architectural Education is an international, membership-based Association organizing architectural schools in Europe. The EAAE is a non-profit, Belgian registered organization. The mission of the European Association for Architectural Education EAAE is to advance the quality of architectural education in Europe and thus of architecture in general. The EAAE is a forum for the generation and dissemination of knowledge and information on all aspects of architectural education and architectural research.
Contact
For more info visit the EAAE’s web
EAAE 2025 Local Organizing Committee
Félix Solaguren-Beascoa de Corral, ETSAB Dean
Eulàlia Gómez-Escoda, ETSAB Deputy Director of International Relations
Carolina B. García-Estévez, ETSAB Deputy Director of Publications
Mónica Tárrega Klein, ETSAB Deputy Director of Business Agreements
Research assistants
Francesc Arenas
Mireia Fuster
Staff
Elisa Capellades
Marta Sogas
Scientific Committee
Roberto Cavallo, Delft University of Technology
Félix Solaguren-Beascoa de Corral, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Oya Atalay Franck, ZHAW Zürcher Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften
Mia Roth-Čerina, Sveučilište u Zagrebu
Dag Bousten, KU Leuven
Michela Barosio, Politecnico di Torino
Patrick Flynn, TU Dublin
Madeleine Maaskant, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten
Claus Peder Pedersen, Arkitektskolen Aarhus
Massimo Santanicchia, Listaháskóli Íslands
Jörg Schröder, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Tadeja Zupančič, Univerza v Ljubljani
Jaime J. Ferrer Forés, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Pilar Garcia Almirall, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Carles Crosas, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Lluís Giménez, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Pedro Azara, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
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