On Thursday 10 July, the exhibition A Matrix of Decentralised Ecosystems was inaugurated at Casa RIA, the headquarters of the RIA Foundation in Santiago de Compostela. The exhibition features work carried out during the second semester by fourth-year students from the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture.
Presented by architect and president of the RIA Foundation, David Chipperfield, the exhibition brings together architectural and urban planning proposals developed in three Galician municipalities in the Barbanza region: Boiro, Ribeira and A Pobra do Caramiñal. The result of a collaboration between the university and the foundation, these projects address the challenges of territorial planning from a sustainable perspective, connecting the built environment with nature and the local economy.
Architecture with social and territorial impact
Through medium-scale interventions, students have proposed solutions that integrate architectural design and landscape planning, aimed at promoting balanced and resilient territorial development. The initiative highlights the potential of architecture as a tool for regenerating rural and peri-urban areas in the Galician region.
During the inauguration, students had the opportunity to present their proposals to institutional representatives from the participating municipalities. Attendees included Luís Pérez Barral, mayor of Ribeira; José Carlos Vidal, mayor of A Pobra do Caramiñal; and Amparo Cerecedo, deputy mayor of A Pobra. The representatives praised the value of the project and welcomed the fact that the region is attracting the interest of future generations of architects “committed to the environment and to improving the quality of life of citizens”.
Academic commitment to the region
The coordination of the exhibition was made possible thanks to the dedication of five UIC Barcelona students; Alexia Espinàs, Marina Voiku, Anna-Maria Karagiozova, Julia Salman and Maria Sivako, who volunteered to review, synthesise and present the graphic and conceptual materials from the body of work.
The exhibition is part of an ongoing collaboration between the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture and the RIA Foundation, which will continue throughout the next academic year. The process will culminate in a final exhibition in July 2026, coinciding with Barcelona’s designation as World Capital of Architecture.
