The Institut Ramon Llull has initiated the selection process of a curatorial project for the participation of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands in the 19th International Architecture Exhibition-La Biennale di Venezia, which will take place from May 10 to November 23, as part of the Eventi Collaterali programme. Carlo Ratti, an architect, engineer, activist, and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, directed the edition and chose Intelligens as his theme. As Ratti said, "The title Intelligens is linked to the modern term “intelligence”, but it also evokes a wider set of associated meanings. In fact, the final syllable, “gens” is Latin for “people”. A new, fictional root emerges, suggesting a future of intelligence that is inclusive, multiple, and imaginative beyond today’s limiting focus on AI".

The selection process is divided into two parts. The first round is open to anyone who is interested in submitting a proposal that meets the requirements of the terms and conditions. The first phase will close at 2:00 pm on Thursday, 20 June. A committee of experts will select a maximum of five finalist proposals and invite them to participate in the second round. The second round will consist of delivering their initial proposal before Monday, 15 July at 2:00 pm. They will present their project before the committee on 23 July, at the headquarters of Institut Ramon Llull in Barcelona.

The proposals presented must be linked to the theme of the World Architecture Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) to be held in Barcelona in 2026, coinciding with the year in which the city will be the World Capital of Architecture. Additionally, the proposals must be in harmony with the motto chosen by Carlo Ratti. The Congress theme is Becoming, Architectures for a Planet in Transition.

The expert committee of this selection process comprises:

Presidency

Pau Bajet and Tomeu Ramis, members of the curatorial team of the Becoming , Architectures for a Planet in Transition proposal of the World Architecture Congress of the International Union of Architects (UIA) 2026, have a single vote.

Members

Maria Buhigas, Chief Architect, Barcelona City Council

Judit Carrera, Director of the Centre for Contemporary Culture of Barcelona (CCCB)

Guim Costa, Dean of the College of Architects of Catalonia (COAC)

Marina Otero Verzier, architect, curator and researcher. Curator of the Dutch pavilion at the Biennale Architettura 2018 and co-curator of the 13th Shanghai Biennale 2021.

Eva Serrats, architect and co-curator of the exhibition of Catalan culture at the Biennale Art 2023 (Following the Fish).

You can see the selection process rules here