Developed through close cooperation between public authorities, professionals, academia, civil society, and the private sector, Baukultur promotes a holistic understanding of architecture, civil engineering, urban planning, landscape, infrastructure, heritage, and public space as essential components of sustainable development and quality of life. Particular attention will be given to the role of public architectural competitions as a key instrument for ensuring design quality, transparency, and innovation in public projects.
Switzerland has long considered Baukultur a strategic public policy that extends beyond architectural excellence to encompass environmental responsibility, social cohesion, economic sustainability, and democratic participation in shaping the built environment. This vision has gained international recognition through the adoption of the Davos Declaration "Towards a High-Quality Baukultur for Europe" (2018), which has become an important reference for promoting high-quality planning and design across Europe.
Spain likewise places increasing emphasis on the quality of the built environment through initiatives such as the Spanish Urban Agenda, the Law on Quality of Architecture (Ley 9/2022 sobre la Calidad de la Arquitectura), and a growing commitment to sustainable urban regeneration, heritage preservation, and climate-resilient cities. Both countries recognize that architecture and urban development play a fundamental role in addressing today's societal, environmental, and economic challenges.
Building on these shared ambitions, the event aims to foster a dialogue to exchange perspectives on governance, innovation, sustainability, and the future of Europe's built environment, bringing together Swiss and Spanish representatives from public administration, architecture, academia, and industry to exchange perspectives on governance, innovation, sustainability, and the future of Europe's built environment.
Programme
Welcoming Remarks
- Heinrich Schellenberg, Ambassador of Switzerland to Spain and Andorra
Keynote address on the Swiss concept of Baukultur and current initiatives promoting its dissemination.
- Claudia Schwalfenberg, Head of the Focus Areas Division, Director of Baukultur of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects
Round-table: Baukultur in Practice: Public Policies, Urban Governance and the Future of High-Quality Built Environments
- Moderator: Pablo Olalquiaga, Vice-Dean of the Colegio de Arquitectos de Madrid
- Roger Boltshauser, Professor ETH Zurich / Owner Studio Boltshauser
- Claudia Schwalfenberg, Head of the Focus Areas Division, Director of Baukultur of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects
- Emanuel Christ, Founder Studio Christ & Gantenbein
Closing Remarks - Marjorie de Chastonay, Councilor of the City of Geneva
