Below you can find a selection of news related to traditional building, architecture and urbanism:
– Traditional Building Cultures Foundation –
Seventh International Conference on Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism
The seventh edition of the International Conference on Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism, organised by the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation, will take place in Seville from 13 to 15 November 2026. The deadline for submitting paper proposals is 28 September 2026.
The Conference will address a range of topics related to traditional architecture, urbanism and building cultures, and will include a specific thematic area dedicated to Seville, its architecture, heritage and urban development. The in-person programme will feature lectures by international architects and specialists, debates, and demonstrations by masters of traditional building crafts.
The Conference will also be available online, with all sessions broadcast live, as well as recorded and subsequently published on the Conference website. The programme will also be complemented by a series of pre-recorded lectures related to the contents of the forthcoming issue of the Journal of Traditional Building, Architecture and Urbanism.
The Traditional Building Cultures Foundation delivers a stonemasonry training programme in Abha, Saudi Arabia
An intensive six-month stonemasonry training programme delivered by the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia has begun, in collaboration with the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (WRTH), as part of the Traditional Stone Building Techniques Apprenticeship Programme.
The training, which will run from August 2026 to January 2027, is structured as a series of successive modules combining theoretical content with a substantial practical component. Over the coming months, students will learn the principles, techniques and processes of traditional stone construction, with particular attention to the building systems historically developed in the mountainous region of Asir, whose architecture forms a fundamental part of the region’s cultural identity and landscape.
The different modules will be taught by stonemasons, builders, architects and other highly regarded professionals with extensive experience in traditional construction, building crafts and heritage conservation, with whom the Foundation is pleased to collaborate.
Results of the 2026 Iberian Summer School
The Iberian Summer School took place from 5 to 19 July 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal, and was organised by the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation, thanks to Richard H. Driehaus, with the support of the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Fundação Serra Henriques, INTBAU Portugal, INTBAU Spain and José Baganha & Arquitectos Associados, Lda, as well as the collaboration of various national and international institutions and universities.
The programme focused on the study of Lisbon’s traditional urbanism, architecture and building techniques, primarily through hand drawing and the analysis of buildings and urban spaces. The aim was for participants to become familiar with and understand the characteristics and qualities of local architecture as a starting point for the subsequent design work.
During the first week, a series of technical visits through the city were organised to study and draw representative examples of its architecture and urban fabric. The programme was complemented by lectures by architects, researchers and other specialists, as well as demonstrations by master craftspeople on different traditional materials, crafts and techniques.
During the second week, the work focused on the Galinheiras neighbourhood. Based on the analysis of the site and the knowledge acquired over the previous days, participants worked in groups to develop urban and architectural proposals for the regeneration and improvement of its degraded areas. The process also involved representatives and technical staff from Lisbon City Council, who provided information on the situation of the neighbourhood and the problems and needs that the proposals were expected to address.
– News –
Call for Entries Open for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2027
The call for entries for the European Heritage Awards / Europa Nostra Awards 2027 is now open, recognising outstanding projects and initiatives in the field of European cultural heritage.
Entries may be submitted in five categories: Conservation & Adaptive Reuse; Research; Education, Training & Skills; Citizens’ Engagement & Awareness-raising; and Heritage Champions.
The deadline for submissions is 7 September 2026.
Call for Entries Open for the 2026 Raphael Awards for Classical Architectural Drawing
Traditional Building magazine has opened the call for entries for the fourth edition of the Raphael Awards, which aim to promote the study of classical and neoclassical architecture through hand drawing and painting.
Drawings may be submitted until 31 August 2026.The winning works will be announced in December 2026 and presented during the Traditional Building Conference, which will take place on 3 and 4 November 2026 in Charleston, United States.
– Education –
Traditional Building Crafts Workshops in Alsace
La Table Ronde de l’Architecture has opened applications for a series of training courses in traditional building crafts, to be held over five weekends between August and October 2026 in Westhoffen (Alsace, France). The workshops will take place in a seventeenth-century farmhouse currently being transformed into a school of architecture and craftsmanship.
The sessions will be led by master stonemason Jacques Bruderer and will provide practical training in traditional building techniques, including the use of earth and lime, masonry, pink sandstone carving, and traditional floors with woven plant structures. Participation will be free of charge thanks to the support of the INTBAU Grassroots programme, and participants will be selected on the basis of their motivation. The initiative is also supported by the Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Maison Alsacienne (ASMA).
Courses on Traditional Arts and Techniques
The King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts will offer a programme of online courses on traditional arts and techniques during August and September. Among the courses is a summer school, from 17 to 21 August, dedicated to the geometric legacy of Central Asia and the Silk Road. The programme also includes courses on tilework, Islamic calligraphy, bookbinding and traditional painting.
Hands-on Workshop “Eye Tracking for Architects”
From 13 to 15 October 2026, the Human Architecture + Planning Institute and Citymakers Collective will organise “Eye Tracking for Architects” in Boston, a hands-on workshop on the use of biometric tools to study the perception of the built environment. Participants will learn to use eye-tracking technology and develop their own pilot study using the iMotions platform. The workshop is aimed at architects, designers, urban planners and students.
Intensive Course on Traditional Japanese Carpentry in Yoshino
From 25 to 29 October 2026, the workshop “Experience Yoshino: From Forest to Traditional Carpentry” will take place in Yoshino, Japan. This intensive five-day course will focus on the tradition of wood and Japanese building techniques.
The programme will cover the entire journey of wood, from forest management and sawmilling to its use in traditional architecture, and will include visits to sawmills and timber markets, as well as hands-on workshops on kumiko, earthen walls, shoji, fusuma and carpentry. The course is organised by architects Morizo Uchida and Emi Shinmura.
Traditional Carpentry Workshop in Alsace
La Table Ronde de l’Architecture is organising a traditional carpentry workshop led by carpenter Martin Lefort in Westhoffen, Alsace. The training will take place over two weekends, on 19–20 September and 3–4 October 2026, and will be taught in French and English.
The fee for the four-day course is €320.
More information and registration: contact@latablerondearchitecture.co
Course on Earth Construction
The Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage (IAPH) and the Taph Taph Association are organising the blended-learning course “Fundamentals of Earth Construction: Present and History”, from 21 September to 29 October 2026, aimed at professionals and students in the fields of architecture, construction and heritage conservation.
The course is limited to 20 participants. The registration deadline is 31 August 2026.
Scagliola Course in Italy
Maurizio Feliziani will teach a course dedicated to the traditional technique of scagliola from 21 to 25 September 2026 in Oriolo Romano, Italy.
The course will provide an opportunity to learn about and practise this decorative technique, based on the use of plaster, pigments and other materials to create surfaces that reproduce the appearance and veining of different types of marble and ornamental stone.
