In a global context marked by a critical reassessment of the values that have shaped the architectural discipline for over two millennia, Foros 2025 seeks to examine the principles that have guided the form, use, and conservation of architecture throughout history.

Directed and coordinated by architects and professor Dr Josep Lluis Ginovart and Dr Cinta Lluis Teruel and further coordinated by architects and lecturers Dr Ricardo Gomez Val and Dr Juan Trias de Bes, the series is structured in three sessions taking place between April and May 2025. Each session will feature distinguished national and international experts who will share their knowledge and experience, fostering critical reflection on sacred architecture – from its symbolic and spiritual dimensions to its materiality and management as cultural heritage.

Foros 2025 Programme

Wednesday 9 April 2025 – 3.30 p.m | “Sacred Architecture: The Visible of the Invisible”

• Dr Héctor Devesa Santa Creu
• Leopoldo Gil Cornet
• Dr Nacho Vicens Hualde
• Presented by: Dr Josep Lluis Ginovart

Thursday 24 April 2025 – 3.30 p.m | “Experience of the Interior”

• Dr Jordi-Agustí Piqué Collado
• Dr Rosa M. Alsina Pagés
• Dr Javier Viver
• Presented by: Dr Cinta Lluis i Teruel

Wednesday 21 May 2025 – 4 p.m | “Managing the Grand Sacred Heritage. The Sagrada Familia”

• Dr Jordi Faulí i Oller
• Juan Ignacio Eskubi Ugarte
• Dr Chiara Curti
• Presented by: Dr Juan Trias de Bes

About Foros

Foros is a curricular subject at UIC Barcelona School of Architecture that, year after year, sets itself as a benchmark in the academic and professional spheres.  It serves as a platform for reflection and debate on architecture, connecting past, present, and future perspectives.

This edition highlights the fact that in Europe, 80% of historical heritage is of a sacred nature.  This presents a significant challenge in terms of conservation, adaptation, and management, while also opening up new professional opportunities for emerging architects. Sacred architecture offers a crucial field for rethinking the social, cultural, and symbolic roles of contemporary architecture.

Foros 2025 also dedicates a session to an in-depth examination of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. The analysis of its heritage management, construction, and symbolism serves as a remarkable prelude to Barcelona’s designation as the World Capital of Architecture in 2026. As a global icon and an ongoing project, the basilica exemplifies how architectural heritage can drive innovation in architecture, technology, and culture in the 21st century.

Throughout these sessions, fundamental questions will be addressed regarding the meaning and function of sacred architecture, its conservation as a heritage legacy, and its ability to integrate art, music, and light to enrich spatial experiences.  At a time when sustainability, globalisation, and climate change demand new responses, Foros 2025 offers an opportunity to rethink sacred architecture as a model for reflection and learning in contemporary architecture.

Foros 2025 opens an interdisciplinary dialogue that extends beyond the classroom and projects itself towards the future of architecture.