Barcelona will be the setting in 2026 for a double international commemoration: the centenary of the death of Antoni Gaudí and his recognition as the world capital of architecture. This coincidence reinforces the symbolic weight of the Catalan architect in the city's urban identity and places his legacy at the center of contemporary discussions about the future of metropolises. The so-called 'Gaudí Year' will pay homage to one of the most influential creators of the 20th century, whose work fused architecture, science, spirituality, and observation of nature. To this is added the celebration, between February and December 2026, of the International Union of Architects' congress, which expects the participation of some 10,000 professionals and activities in more than 75 spaces in the city. Antoni Gaudí was born in 1852 in Reus, and his childhood, marked by health problems, led him to develop an intense observation of nature, a trait that would later be reflected in his architecture. Within the framework of the centenary, Barcelona thus reinforces its bond with that legacy while projecting itself as a laboratory of ideas for thinking about the city of the future. Fourteen of his buildings, including the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló, Casa Milà, and Park Güell, form a heritage that has defined the visual profile of Barcelona and made it a world architectural benchmark. The official programming foresees an agenda of exhibitions, congresses, and cultural activities. On the artistic front, the Palau de la Música Catalana will host the world premiere of the symphonic 'Set Somnis de Gaudí', with more than 200 musicians from the London Philharmonia Orchestra and the choirs of the Orfeó Català. The centenary was declared an Event of Exceptional Public Interest (AEIP) by the Spanish government, with the aim of promoting and disseminating the urban and cultural relevance of Gaudinian legacy. The Museu d'Història de Catalunya will organize an exhibition dedicated to the architect's life and work, while the Gaudí International Congress 2026 will bring together specialists to present unpublished research on his thought and work method. After collaborating with different architects, he gained his own recognition with Casa Vicens and, in 1883, took over the direction of the Sagrada Familia, a project to which he dedicated the rest of his life until his death in 1926 after being hit by a tram. A hundred years later, the Sagrada Familia continues to be a symbol of Catalan modernism and a way of conceiving architecture as a dialogue between technique, art, and environment.
