On July 2, in Barcelona, Spain, during the closing ceremony of the 29th World Congress of Architects, the congress flag was handed over from the representative of Barcelona (on behalf of the Barcelona City Council) to the representative of Beijing (on behalf of the People's Government of Beijing Municipality and the Architectural Society of China). The International Union of Architects (UIA) and members of the global architectural community witnessed the official launch of preparations for the 30th World Congress of Architects to be held in Beijing in 2029. Meanwhile, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, announced that Beijing will be designated as a "World Capital of Architecture".

Flag Handover Ceremony

The World Congress of Architects, the world's largest and most influential academic gathering of architects, is organized by UIA and held every three years. The host cities are also designated the "World Capitals of Architecture" by UNESCO. Thirty years after Beijing hosted the 20th Congress in 1999, China will host this prestigious international event of architecture for the second time.

During this year's congress in Barcelona, the UIA Competition Commission and the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources signed the Agreement to Organize "Yongding Chang'an Creative Hub" Young Architects Design Competition. As one of the preparatory activities for the 30th congress, the competition will be jointly organized by the two organizations. Further details of the competition will be announced soon.

Signing Ceremony for the Competition Agreement

The Beijing Organizing Committee will now begin three years of comprehensive preparations. Under the congress theme "Return to Balance" (tentative translation), a series of academic exchanges, exhibitions, and youth exchange activities will be organized around cutting-edge topics such as green and low-carbon development, urban renewal, and heritage conservation, welcoming architects from around the world to gather in Beijing in 2029.

In addition, at the UIA General Assembly on July 4 (UTC+2), Professor Zhang Li, Dean of the School of Architecture at Tsinghua University, was elected President of UIA for the 2026–2029 term. This marks the first time a Chinese architect has been elected UIA President, and a new chapter in China's participation in global governance and international cooperation in the field of architecture.

(Source: Official WeChat account of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Planning and Natural Resources)