UIA 2021 RIO has announced that, for the first time in the history of the congress, the upcoming 27th World Congress of Architects on 18-22 July will be entirely digital.
The world's largest Architecture and Urban Planning forum, the 27th World Congress of Architects is designed as a transformative event for architects, triggering shifts in professional paths and new commitments to a better world, with attention paid to the environment and the climate, while striving to lessen intra-urban inequalities.
Core themes of this year edition are smart cities and artificial intelligence, sustainable development, sanitation and water use, infrastructure and energy efficiency, urban mobility, technical assistance for self-construction, materials, processes and technologies, heritage and culture, grassroots settlements and urban health.
The complete transformation of the traditional congress format follows last year's decision to postpone the congress due to the global pandemic.
Back then, a hybrid congress format was presented with online events planned from March to June followed by an on-site congress in July.
However, due to “the current critical status of the pandemic in Brazil and in the World”, as UIA 2021 RIO describes it, the decision has now been made by UIA and the Brazilian Institute of Architects (IAB) to conduct all planned events online, including the July congress in Rio.
Leading names in architecture and urban planning such as Eduardo Souto de Moura, Tatiana Bilbao, Elizabeth de Portzamparc, Stefano Boeri, Zhang Li, Francine Houben, Kengo Kuma and Jeanne Gang to name a few, will hold their keynote speech and many other architects will gather together to analyse the global outlook and local issues, drawing up proposals and presenting solutions for enhancing the quality of life, in a fairer and more sustainable world.
You can explore the entire programme on the UIA 2021 RIO official website and subscribe to the UIA 2021 RIO Youtube channel to get notifications ahead of premieres and watch the talks along with a community of thousands of other architects, urban planners and more.
