04/09/2025

Iñigo Ugalde appointed new director of the School of Architecture: “At UIC Barcelona, we export Catalan architecture to the world”

Iñigo Ugalde, formerly the assistant director of the School of Architecture, has been appointed director following six years of close collaboration, three with former director Víctor Echarri and three with Josep Lluís Ginovart

An architect affiliated with UIC Barcelona since 2016, Ugalde has developed his academic and research career at the University, initially teaching as a collaborating lecturer and later as an associate lecturer. From September 2025, he will lead the School of Architecture, which, he notes, is undergoing a “necessary generational renewal”.

“We are fortunate to have individuals such as Felipe Pich and Alberto Estévez, who have been part of the University for 25 years and were present at the founding of the School of Architecture. Their experience must be complemented by new voices; we now have lecturers who are former students of the University, which is a very positive development,” Ugalde explains. He expresses his gratitude for the contributions of his predecessors and all those who have taught at the School of Architecture.

Ugalde announced that work is underway on a new curriculum designed to address contemporary societal challenges, including the emergence of artificial intelligence and its impact on architecture. “We aim to implement a participatory process to collectively determine the way forward, involving students, graduates and representatives from the professional sector,” the new director added.

He also highlighted the School of Architecture’s commitment to internationalisation, which reflects the ethos of UIC Barcelona. “We welcome many students from around the world who are drawn to the high standard of Catalan architecture. We share this knowledge globally so that future professionals can apply what they have learned here in their own countries,” Ugalde said. “We have students from India, Syria, Egypt and Eastern European countries, many of which have large areas for development,” he added.

Although Ugalde has been involved in academia since graduating from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, he continues to work at the architectural practice Detres, taking on residential, office and public infrastructure projects. He notes that “it is important for academic and research staff to remain active in the professional world to stay in touch with the realities of the market,” he explained.