Below you can find a selection of news related to traditional building, architecture and urban planning:
The 2026 Building Arts Grants programme has begun
The 2026 Building Arts Grants Programme has begun, and training programmes alongside masters of traditional building crafts are already underway in different parts of Spain. The programme, promoted by the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Fuentes Dutor Foundation and the Gondra Barandiarán Foundation, aims to encourage the direct transmission of traditional building crafts and support generational renewal.
In Navarre, Wagner Carrión is carrying out his training alongside Valeriano Jaurrieta and the Cantería Jaurrieta workshop, where he has undertaken exercises in stone carving, shaping and reuse aimed at the progressive learning of the traditional stonemasonry craft. Meanwhile, in the mountains of northwestern León, in Balboa, David Álvarez Fernández has begun his training process with master thatcher Manuel Monteserín, focusing on the study of traditional timber structures and straw roofs.
The third grant awarded in this edition, dedicated to training alongside master stained-glass artisan Mikel Delika, will begin shortly.
Launch of Built by Hand: A Digital Exhibition on Traditional Building Crafts
Built by Hand: Skilled Artisans in the Traditional Trades, a digital exhibition hosted by the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, has recently been launched.
The Traditional Building Cultures Foundation contributed to the development of this educational resource as an advisory partner, helping to shape its conceptual framework and content. The exhibition offers an in-depth look at the work of artisans specializing in traditional building crafts, highlighting both the technical rigor of their practices and the cultural significance of their knowledge.
Granada to host the 3rd Conference “El oficio de restaurar”
On June 12, Granada will host the 3rd Conference “El oficio de restaurar: Innovación y Tradición en el sector de Restauración del Patrimonio”, a professional gathering focused on heritage preservation, traditional crafts, training, and collaboration between institutions, companies, and specialists in the field.
Organized at the Albayzín National Reference Centre for Crafts, the event will bring together preservation professionals, artisan workshops, universities, public administrations, and technology centres for a programme of lectures and panel discussions dedicated to the transmission of knowledge and the role of specialized crafts in the preservation of cultural heritage.
The Traditional Building Cultures Foundation will be represented at the event, which will take place both in person and via livestream.
19th National Crafts Awards Announced
The Ministry of Industry and Tourism, through EOI and Fundesarte, has announced the 19th edition of the National Crafts Awards, which recognize the most outstanding initiatives in Spain’s crafts sector.
The call for applications will remain open until June 15 and includes several categories aimed at promoting innovation, design, and market adaptation among craft businesses. The main award, the National Crafts Award, carries a prize of €7,000.
Rome to host the third edition of the Architectura Picta Festival
From September 17 to 20, 2026, the third edition of the Architectura Picta International Festival will take place at the Church of Trinità dei Monti in Rome.
The festival will combine practical and theoretical training focused on architectural trompe l’oeil, visits to historical examples throughout the city, and the development of a collective artistic installation.The programme will also feature the participation of specialists and master decorative painters from a range of international backgrounds.
Fundraising campaign launched for a new school of architecture and traditional building crafts
La Table Ronde de l’Architecture has founded a new school of architecture and building crafts aimed at reviving the teaching of traditional construction techniques and their connection to architectural practice.
The project combines theoretical instruction—including drawing, geometry and history—with hands-on training in crafts such as stonemasonry, carpentry, and lime and earth plastering. The school will be based in a seventeenth-century farmstead in Westhoffen, Alsace, whose restoration will form part of the educational programme.
To launch the initiative, the association has started a fundraising campaign to support the rehabilitation works, the acquisition of tools, and the participation of master craftspeople.
The European Commission and Europa Nostra announce the 2026 European Heritage Awards
The European Commission and Europa Nostra have announced the winners of the 2026 European Heritage Awards, recognising 30 projects and professionals from 18 countries. The awards honour initiatives in five categories: preservation and adaptive reuse, research, education and training, citizen engagement, and heritage champions.
This year’s edition highlights a remarkable diversity of projects, ranging from the restoration and reuse of historic buildings to training programmes in traditional crafts, research and cultural documentation initiatives, and projects aimed at fostering active public participation in heritage conservation.
Open call for the 2026 Travel Scholarship
ADAM Architecture has opened applications for its annual scholarship aimed at students and recent graduates in architecture and urbanism.
The scholarship, worth £2,000, supports international research projects related to architecture and urban design. Since 2005, the programme has supported research developed through travel and fieldwork in a wide range of international contexts.
The application deadline is June 5, 2026.
Open call for papers on classical legacy and contemporary architecture
Revista PÓS FAUUSP has opened a call for papers for the dossier Classical Legacy and Contemporary Culture: Perspectives, dedicated to the study of the reinterpretation of the classical legacy in contemporary architecture and urbanism.
The call is open until July 31, 2026, and gives particular attention to research focused on Latin America and other extra-European contexts.
Eighth edition of the Stone Festival & Traditional Stone Masonry Workshop
Blossoming Stones will hold the eighth edition of the Stone Festival & Traditional Stone Masonry Workshop in Lagkadia, in Greece’s Peloponnese region, from July 26 to August 2, 2026. The event will bring together master stonemasons, architects, researchers and students to explore the transmission of traditional stone-building crafts and the preservation of local building cultures.
The programme will include hands-on workshops, lectures and visits to historic and archaeological sites, including Olympia. The initiative responds to the gradual disappearance of traditional stone-building crafts and seeks to support their continuity through training and international knowledge exchange.
Traditional building courses
La Montaña Habitada has announced its 2026 programme of traditional building courses, which will take place in Rodillazo, in the mountains of León, between July and September.
The programme brings together four intensive workshops focused on traditional techniques and crafts. Luis Prieto will teach courses on natural pigments (July 16–19) and marble stucco (August 27–30); Lluc Mir will lead the dry-stone construction workshop (August 20–23); and Miguel Losada will teach a course on built-in furniture and lacquer finishes (September 3–6).
More information: lamontanahabitada@gmail.com
Stonemasonry and stone carving workshop at the Monastery of La Armedilla
The Association of Friends of the Monastery of La Armedilla has organized a practical workshop on stonemasonry and stone carving to be held from July 15 to 17, 2026, at the Monastery of La Armedilla in Cogeces del Monte (Valladolid).
The course will be delivered by master stonemason Juan Emilio Cristóbal, a member of the Spanish Network of Traditional Building Masters, and will focus on traditional stone-working techniques.
Granada to host a professional certificate course in decorative wood carving
The Andalusian Employment Service has opened applications for the professional certificate course Decorative Wood Carving, a specialised in-person training programme focused on ornamental carving and traditional woodworking techniques.
The 500-hour course, including 25% workplace-based training, will be held from September 7, 2026, to February 12, 2027, at the Albayzín School of Crafts, Heritage Restoration and Rehabilitation in Granada. The programme offers 15 places and is primarily aimed at unemployed applicants.
The application period will remain open until June 12, 2026.
Budapest to host a summer school on classical architecture
The Budapest Summer School on Classical Architecture will hold its next edition from August 17 to 29, 2026, in Budapest, Hungary. Organized by the Mathias Corvinus Collegium Foundation and the Classic Planning Institute, the programme will offer intensive training in classical architecture and traditional urbanism for students and young architects.
The course will combine lectures, studio work, design exercises and visits to some of Budapest’s most important historic landmarks, including the Hungarian Parliament Building and Buda Castle. The programme will be led by architect Pablo Álvarez Funes and will feature contributions from international faculty and specialists.
The application deadline is May 31, 2026.
Experimental basketry course in Chantada
The Galician Public Foundation for Crafts has opened applications for the course Experimental Basketry Techniques, to be taught by Danish basket makers Jette Mellgren and Jan Johansen from June 5 to 7 in Os Casares, Mouricios (Chantada, Lugo), in collaboration with Espazo Vilaseco.
The workshop will explore a range of contemporary basketry techniques and approaches to working with natural fibres.
Open call for Ghesc Open Week 2026
Fondazione Canova has opened applications for Ghesc Open Week 2026, which will take place from July 27 to August 2 in the medieval village of Ghesc, Montecrestese, Italy.
Dedicated to stone architecture and the conservation of built heritage, the event will bring together students and individuals interested in architectural restoration within an international environment of collaborative work. This year’s edition will also host the project ECHO: A Widespread Open-Air Lab, focused on the reuse and rehabilitation of historic buildings.
Lisbon to host an international seminar on architectural heritage conservation
The University of Minho and the University of Lisbon have organized the international seminar Conservation of Monuments and Historic Buildings, which will take place on October 2, 2026, at the MUDE Design Museum in Lisbon.
The event will address some of the main contemporary challenges in the conservation of historic buildings through case studies including Notre-Dame de Paris, Westminster Abbey, the National Museum of Archaeology, and Lisbon’s São Carlos National Theatre.
Places are limited and registration must be completed by email at: sec.estruturas@civil.uminho.pt
Sayago to host the 2nd Meeting of Dry-Stone Professionals and Advocates
The Sayago region (Zamora) will host the 2nd Meeting of Dry-Stone Professionals and Advocates from June 5 to 7, 2026. The event is organized by Red Sapiense in collaboration with the municipalities of Roelos and Salce.
The meeting will bring together professionals, craftspeople, technicians and researchers working in the field of dry-stone construction. The programme will include lectures, round-table discussions, guided visits and practical workshops focused on the restoration of traditional dry-stone walls.
