Sandra Bestraten, a lecturer in the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, has taken over leadership of the Association of Architects of Catalonia (COAC) at a time when the profession is facing major challenges, including the evolution of industrialised construction, the housing crisis and climate-responsive urban planning. In an interview held at the Association’s main offices, the architect outlines the key areas she intends to focus on during her term at the helm of the institution.

One of the new dean’s main priorities is to enhance the services provided by the Association with the support of new technologies. “We are working to simplify processes and address any contradictions in the regulations. The current climate of overregulation is creating legal uncertainty. We also want to streamline the licensing process by improving dialogue between architects working in public administration and those in the private sphere, among other measures,” Bestraten explains.

Another of the architect’s key priorities is ensuring that the Association plays an active role in addressing the housing crisis affecting much of society: "Without housing, there can be no security, health or education. It is a cornerstone of social cohesion, which is why it is essential to ensure stable policies. We in the Association want to act as a bridge between the public and private sectors,” affirms the Dean.

More specifically, Bestraten calls for greater investment in public housing: “At the recent World Architecture Congress in Barcelona, a declaration was signed outlining six key objectives, one of which was recognising housing as a right that must be guaranteed.” According to the architect, the solution also lies in renovating the ageing building stock and reinforcing urban regeneration. “We want to be the driving force behind all these projects involving architects,” she stresses.

Climate change is another major global challenge affecting many social spheres, and architects are addressing it by retrofitting buildings to make them more resilient. "We at the COAC believe our homes should be climate refuges. We have been working to ensure that parks and libraries are, but our homes should be our primary refuge,” notes the architect. “All of this is closely linked to our commitment to building refurbishment and urban regeneration, aimed at making our buildings more energy efficient,” she explains.

The cities of the future

Sandra Bestraten, who teaches the subject Cooperation II in the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture, reflects on what the cities of the future should look like: “In this course, I explain to my students that cities with shops and homes at street level are safer than cities with lifeless streets. Nor do cities in which the car is the only viable means of getting around offer the same sense of security as those where people can walk,” she argues.

The present and future of architecture also have to do with industrialisation, whose benefits include streamlined processes and reduced costs. "We advocate industrialisation, but with a focus on architectural quality. What we don’t want is for all cities to look the same. Every project has its own specific location and context, and we must be able to adapt to the setting. That is why building components must allow for a certain degree of flexibility,” Bestraten explains.

Second woman to head the COAC

Sandra Bestraten takes over as dean in a profession that has traditionally been male-dominated. “In schools, women now account for between 50% and 60% of the student body. As dean, I trust I have been chosen for my talent, and my strategy will be to work collaboratively to build a broad network of women in the architectural profession, particularly at the institutional level,” the architect concludes.