World
Congress
of Architects
2023
Copenhagen

Save the date

Konditaget Lüders – the Fitness Roof Lüders - photo by Rasmus Hjortshøj/Coast Studio for JAJA Architects

For the first time, a UIA World Congress of Architects will be held in a Nordic country, and Copenhagen, Denmark, is honoured to host the Congress in 2023. Copenhagen ranks as one of the most liveable and loveable cities in the world and is aiming to keep this title. As a host city, Copenhagen provides a unique combination of culture, tolerance, global connectivity, well-functioning public transport, green spaces and high-quality architecture.

Modern Danish architecture represents a humanist life-style that derives from the Danish welfare state and is designed by socially engaged architects.

Nordic architecture, design and planning already enjoys admiration worldwide. Danish and Nordic businesses and research institutions have a long-lasting tradition of pursuing sustainable solutions in the building and construction industries. Efforts to realise this ambition are constantly increasing in the Nordic countries, resulting in many inspirational projects.

The UIA World Congress usually takes place every third year with 10-15.000 participants from all over the world. It was held in Seoul in 2017, but due to the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 outbreak, the congress in Rio took place in 2021. Congresses comprise keynote speakers, lectures and seminars, research presentations, exhibitions as well as public cultural events and much more.

UIA - International Union
of Architects

The International Union of Architects was founded in 1948 to unite the architects of the world through an association of their national organizations. From the 27 delegations present then, the UIA has grown to include the key professional architects’ associations in more than 100 countries, organizing an estimated 1.3 million architects.

The UIA is an international non-governmental organization recognized by UNESCO as the only architectural union operating at an international level.

uia-architectes.org

Behind the scenes

Association

The Danish Association of Architects has established a separate association as of January 2019. The secretariat of the newly established association is based in Copenhagen with the purpose of developing content as well as organizing and conducting the UIA World Congress of Architects in 2023, called UIA 2023 CPH.

Board of Directors

The Association has an independent Board of Directors, all of whom are committed to support either in kind or in "cash". The Board of Directors is responsible for the direction and coordination of the UIA 2023 CPH.

Coordinating Council

The Coordinating Council, under the Presidency and direction of the UIA President, is responsible for the establishment of the general principles governing the UIA 2023 CPH Congress, the monitoring and orientation of the preparatory works, the achievement of coordination and cooperation among different parties, as well as the management of the Agreement signed between the UIA and the Danish Association of Architects.

President: José Luis Cortés Delgado (MX, UIA President), First Vice-President: Johnny Svendborg (DK, President of the Danish Association of Architects), Second Vice-President: Natalie Mossin (DK, UIA Vice President, Region 1 and President of Congress, UIA 2023 CPH).

Members:
Tan Pei Ing (MY, UIA General Secretary), Seif Allah Alnaga (EG, UIA Treasurer), Nivaldo Andrade (BR, Representative of the UIA Congress in Rio de Janeiro 2021), Paula Huotelin (FI, CEO of the Finnish Association of Architects), Kari Bucher (NO, CEO of the Norwegian Association of Architects), Tobias Olsson (SE, CEO of the Swedish Association of Architects), Elzélina Van Melle (DK, Landscape Architect MDL, IFLA delegate), Andreas Blohm Graversen (DK, Head of Office, the Danish Ministry of Industry, Business and Financial Affairs), Janet Nielsen (DK, Ministry of Transport and Housing), Louise Bang Jespersen (DK, Head of Office, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Camilla Van Deurs (DK, City Architect of the City of Copenhagen), Mette Ramsgaard (DK, General Reporter, UIA2023CPH),

Honorary Committee

The Honorary Committee is composed of eminent persons who will lend strength to the UIA 2023 CPH through their support and contributions to the Congress and/or to the profession:

Jesper Nygaard (DK, CEO of Realdania Foundation), Bjarke Ingels (DK, Architect MAA, Founder of BIG), Mogens Lykketoft (DK, former Minister for Finance and former Minister for Foreign Affairs and President of the seventieth session of the United Nations General Assembly), Kristian Jensen (DK, Special Envoy for DK regarding the election for UNSC-2025-26, former Minister for Finance and former Minister for Foreign Affairs), Sophie Hæstorp Andersen (DK, Lord Mayor of The City of Copenhagen, member of the C40 Cities Steering Committee, UIA.UNESCO World Capital of Architecture), Martha Thorne (US, Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, Madrid, Member of the Pritzker Prize)

Advisory Board

An advisory board with participation of Danish and Nordic stakeholders has been established with the aim of keeping stakeholders informed on activities and on ways to engage in the Congress.

Scientific Committee

The Scientific Committee, under the direction of the General Reporters, is responsible for the academic/scientific/professional content of the Congress. Our ambition is to facilitate greater exchange of knowledge between science/research and practice. The Scientific Committee is divided into six panels that together frame the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. The panels are developed using a model for understanding the overarching strategising of the goals as an understanding of the Earth as a closely linked human-environment system, as described in the Global Sustainable Development Report 2019 “The Future is Now - Science for Achieving Sustainable Development” by Prof. Katherine Richardson et. al. By moving from concerns of the environment, through resources to the needs of humanity, the goals are grouped into topics that engage existing research communities in academia and industry.

Scientific Committee:

Panel 1, Climate Adaptation: Billie Faircloth and Maibritt Pedersen Zari.
Panel 2, Rethinking Resources: Carlo Ratti and Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen.
Panel 3, Resilient Communities: Anna Rubbo and Juan Du.
Panel 4, Health: Arif Hasan and Christian Benimana.
Panel 5, Inclusivity: Magda Mostafa and Ruth Baumeister.
Panel 6, Partnerships for Change: Sandi Hilal and Merve Bedir.

General Reporters: Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen, Martin Tamke.
Special Advisors: Katherine Richardson, Chris Luebkeman, Camilla Ryhl, Thomas Bo Jensen
Research Curator and Coordinator: Pernille Maria Bärnheim