Architecture and Media: A Transformative European Encounter

In May 2025, Barcelona will host the fourth edition of the European conference “Architecture and the Media,” an event that has become a fundamental pillar for the discussion and analysis of news dissemination about architecture through various media outlets. Organized by the Mies van der Rohe Foundation and Labóh, the conference will take place at the iconic Mies van der Rohe Pavilion and will feature 18 renowned speakers from the fields of journalism and architecture.

Under the moderation of Ivan Blasi, director of the EUmies Awards, and Miriam Giordano, director of Labóh, the conference will focus on the influence of festivals, awards, and other events on the circulation of architectural information. The agenda promises a varied program that includes roundtables, workshops, and open sessions for the public.

The event will kick off on May 26 with an inaugural conversation titled “Architecture in the Newspaper Spotlight.” This session will feature prominent journalists such as Luis Alemany and Clara Blanchar, along with architect Elena Orte, who will discuss the media reception of architectural works, using the Gabriel García Márquez Library, named the 2024 Emerging Architecture Award winner at the EUmies Awards, as a reference.

On May 27, several sessions will be held in English, starting with a workshop titled “Architecture of the Invisible,” led by Nicolas Guichard and Béatrice Lartigue from Lab212. This workshop will explore the intersection of architecture, communication, and technology, inviting participants to challenge their perception of space through innovative concepts.

The program also includes three roundtable discussions that will examine the role of public events in generating architectural content and the evaluation criteria used in architecture awards. These debates will gather prominent journalists and experts who will share their insights on how recognitions shape the public perception of architecture.

The day will culminate in a conversation focused on the future of Barcelona as the World Capital of Architecture in 2026, where major cultural platforms are expected to act as catalysts for bringing architecture to a broader audience. This discussion will be contextualized within the media’s ability to enhance the visibility of these events.

“Architecture and the Media 2025” is presented not only as an opportunity to address the current challenges of architectural communication but also as a celebration of the interdisciplinary dialogue between journalists and architects within the framework of contemporary architectural culture.