Below you can find a selection of news related to traditional building, architecture and urban planning:
– Traditional Building Cultures Foundation –
Applications open for the 2026 Iberian Summer School
The new edition of the Iberian Summer School on Traditional Architecture will take place in Lisbon from July 5 to 19, 2026.
The program will focus on the study of local urbanism, architecture, and traditional construction details. Each day, the main activity will consist of hand drawing and measuring buildings, forming the basis of the course work. This will be complemented by site visits, workshops led by traditional building craftspeople, and lectures by experts in the history and architecture of the city. During the second week, and building on the work developed in the first, participants will prepare design proposals for different areas in the northern part of the city.
The application deadline is April 8, 2026.
Lectures from the “Modern Classicism” Conference now published
The videos of all the lectures delivered at the 1st International Seminar on 20th-Century Classical Architecture, held at the School of Architecture of the Polytechnic University of Madrid from February 19 to 21, 2026, are now available.
The conference brought together national and international experts to address the role of classical language in 20th-century architecture, a field that remains insufficiently studied. The various contributions examined both the continuities of classicism up to the Second World War and its later reinterpretations.
The recordings now provide access to all the lectures and papers presented. The publication of the seminar proceedings is also planned, bringing together the main contributions developed during the event.
– News –
Arthur Ross Awards 2026
The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) has announced the winners of the 2026 Arthur Ross Awards, one of the most significant international recognitions in the field of classical architecture. Alejandro García Hermida, director of the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation and vice president of INTBAU Spain, has been awarded in the Education category.
The award ceremony will take place on May 11, 2026, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York, as part of the 45th edition of these prizes, which since 1982 have recognized individuals and institutions committed to the continuity and development of the classical tradition.
Richard H. Driehaus Prize and Henry Hope Reed Award 2026 Ceremony
On March 21, 2026, the ceremony for the Richard H. Driehaus Prize and the Henry Hope Reed Award took place in Chicago, two of the leading international recognitions in traditional architecture and urbanism.
British architect John Simpson was awarded the Driehaus Prize in recognition of his career. French architect Philippe Villeneuve received the Henry Hope Reed Award for his work in heritage preservation, particularly for the restoration of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Both awards recognize outstanding contributions to the continuity and advancement of architectural tradition.
“Young Talents of Classical Architecture and Urban Design” Competition
The Accademia Vivarium Novum has launched the international competition “Young Talents of Classical Architecture and Urban Design”, aimed at young architects. The initiative is organized within the framework of the International Conference “Humanitas and the Harmony of Place. In Memory of Léon Krier”, to be held in Frascati (Italy) from May 28 to 31, 2026.
The submission deadline is April 20, 2026, and the winners will be announced during the closing ceremony of the conference on May 31 at Villa Falconieri. Proposals must be submitted digitally in accordance with the guidelines provided by the organizers.
More information: massini@vivariumnovum.net
INTBAU Dialogues III
INTBAU Cyprus, in collaboration with the Department of Architecture at the Eastern Mediterranean University, will host the third edition of INTBAU Dialogues on April 2, 2026, from 13:30 to 15:30.
The event, titled “Reviving Traditional Building Knowledge in Contemporary Education”, will bring together professionals, researchers, and students interested in the transmission of traditional building knowledge. Held in a hybrid format, it will include presentations from various INTBAU chapters on recent initiatives, including summer schools and workshops.
José Baganha, president of INTBAU Portugal and vice president of the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation, will present the Iberian Summer Schools during the session.
The University of Toronto hosts the exhibition “The New Stone Age: Towards an Ethical Architecture”
The University of Toronto is presenting the exhibition “The New Stone Age: Towards an Ethical Architecture” at the Architecture Design Gallery of the Daniels Faculty until April 3, 2026.
Curated by Groupwork, Webb Yates Engineers, and The Stonemasonry Company, the exhibition explores the potential of stone as a low-carbon structural material in contemporary architecture. Through a series of large-scale installations in stone and timber, it examines the history, recent innovations, and future possibilities of this material in contrast to reinforced concrete and steel systems.
Oslo to host the Nordic Symposium on Beauty in Architecture 2026
The Nordic Symposium on Beauty in Architecture will take place in Oslo on May 23–24, 2026, bringing together an international audience to reflect on the role of beauty in contemporary architectural practice.
The symposium aims to recover the aesthetic dimension as a fundamental principle of architecture, in a context where the built environment increasingly prioritizes functional criteria over other values.
Applications open for the “Arquitectura e Construção em Terra 2026” program
Applications are now open for the training program “Arquitectura e Construção em Terra 2026”, focused on the use of earth as a construction material.
The program is structured into three modules combining theoretical foundations, hands-on training in techniques such as adobe, compressed earth blocks (BTC), and rammed earth, as well as the development of architectural projects.
Aimed at architects, engineers, students, and professionals in the field, the course is organized by the Ordem dos Arquitectos in collaboration with A3 Atelier – Academia de Arquitectura.
– Education –
Homo Faber presents its 2026 craft training program
The training center Homo Faber, based in Mansilla de las Mulas (León), has announced its new program of craft courses for 2026, focused on traditional building techniques.
The offer includes training in lime renders and scagliola, tadelakt, earth-based finishes, rammed earth and adobe construction, as well as vaulted and tabicada stair construction. Decorative techniques such as gilding, decorative painting, and scagliola are also part of the program, alongside workshops in ceramics, woodturning, and handmade paper.
All courses will take place at the Homo Faber facilities in Mansilla de las Mulas.
Open call for Școala de la Bunești 2026
The Școala de la Bunești will hold its summer edition in Zărnești, Mălureni (Argeș, Romania), from July 12 to August 16, 2026. The application deadline is April 17.
The program is organized in weekly sessions and combines hands-on construction activities with lectures and visits focused on the region’s vernacular architecture. Tuition includes training, accommodation, and meals for the selected week.
Latticework workshop in Valcabado del Páramo
A workshop on the construction of lacería ataujerada panels will take place on April 11–12, 2026, at the Centro de Interpretación de la Carpintería de Armar on the Vía de la Plata, in Valcabado del Páramo (León).
The course, free of charge and limited to 12 participants, will be held on Saturday (10:00–14:00 and 16:00–20:00) and Sunday (10:00–14:00).
Registrations can be made via email at: jvalcabadodelparamo@gmail.com
Cambridge opens applications for its new Master’s in Architecture
The University of Cambridge has opened applications for the Master of Studies (MSt) in Architecture, a part-time postgraduate program that combines in-person teaching in Cambridge with online learning. The course offers advanced training in sustainable technologies, traditional architecture, and urban design.
The application deadline is May 28, 2026.
Advanced fresco painting course in Florence
The Accademia Fiorentina di Affresco will organize an advanced course on fresco painting, led by master Massimo Callossi in Florence. The program will be developed over four fifteen-day modules between June 2026 and June 2027, focusing on the progressive learning of this traditional mural technique based on natural materials such as lime, sand, and mineral pigments.
The course will combine theoretical instruction, analysis of historic frescoes, and hands-on practice on different surfaces. Sessions will be conducted in Italian and English, and participants will receive a certificate upon completion.
More information and registration: info@accademiafiorentinadiaffresco.it
Open call: The King’s Foundation PhD Scholarship
Applications are now open for The King’s Foundation PhD Scholarship in Traditional Building & Vernacular Architecture, a fully funded scholarship to pursue a PhD at the Department of Architecture of the University of Cambridge.
The scholarship supports research on sustainability in traditional building and vernacular architecture, with applications to contemporary design. The selected candidate will be integrated into the PhD in Architecture program as well as the research teams of The King’s Foundation and the University of Cambridge.
Applications must be submitted directly to The King’s Foundation by April 6, 2026.
“Let’s Build a Beautiful City” Summer School
INTBAU Netherlands, together with the Stichting Traditional Classical Architecture and Urban Design, has organized the Utrecht Summer School 2026, which will take place from July 20 to August 6 in Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Under the title “Let’s Build a Beautiful City”, the program offers an intensive course combining studio work and theoretical sessions focused on urban design and traditional architecture.
INTBAU Kenya to organize a Summer School in Mombasa
INTBAU Kenya will host a summer school in August 2026 in the historic Old Town of Mombasa. The program will take the form of a one-week “design charrette”, bringing together students and professionals in an intensive working environment. Participants will develop proposals that respond to the local context and align with the values of traditional urbanism.
Course on the traditional use of gypsum
From July 10 to 12, 2026, the course “Los yesos y su uso tradicional en la construcción” will take place in Alberite (La Rioja), led by mason Alejandro Ciudad and organized by Cobijo Natural workshop-school.
The program combines a theoretical introduction with intensive hands-on training, covering a range of traditional construction techniques.
Practical workshop on the use of lime in restoration
The Andalusian Institute of Historical Heritage (IAPH) will host in Seville, from April 13 to 15, 2026, the hands-on workshop “La cal y sus usos en la rehabilitación”, led by master painter and scagliola master Luis Prieto.
The activity is organized by the Junta de Andalucía in collaboration with the Museo de la Cal de Morón.
