The World Capital of Architecture for 2023 will be Copenhagen, a city known for its people-centric architecture with a focus on function, art, and design.
The International Union of Architects (UIA) General Assembly — the only international organisation of its kind representing architects on a global scale, according to its website — recommended Denmark’s capital in accordance with the partnership agreement established in 2018, under which UNESCO designates the host cities of the UIA’s World Congress as “World Capitals of Architecture.”
“Copenhagen has conducted formal urban and architectural experiments that are exceptional in more ways than one,” said UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay at a ceremony earlier this month.
“At a time when we need new solutions, new materials, and new ways of thinking about shared spaces,” Azoulay said.
The initiative was launched by UNESCO and the UIA to highlight the importance of architecture, city planning, and culture in shaping urban identity and sustainable urban development.
“Architecture is the gateway that either opens up the world to you or closes in around you,” according to Copenhagen’s website. “In our daily lives, the evidence is in our schools, hospitals, and airports – buildings where people, life situations, function, and design form a perfect synthesis.”
Every three years, the World Capital of Architecture city moves to the forefront of global discussions on contemporary urban planning, architectural issues, and “to seek solutions on how to mitigate the effects of climate change,” according to UIA President José Luis Cortés.
Copenhagen will host a series of major events and programmes centred on the theme “Sustainable Futures – No One Left Behind.”
The torch was passed from Rio de Janeiro, the inaugural “World Capital of Architecture,” to Copenhagen.
“Copenhagen will build on Rio’s achievements by continuing to demonstrate how architecture and culture can respond to our time’s challenges, particularly in the environmental field,” Azoulay said.
Barcelona and Beijing are the two candidates vying for the title of World Capital of Architecture in 2026 and hosting the next World Congress.
Later this year, an official decision will be made.
The designation, according to UIA President Thomas Vonier, “is an opportunity for ordinary people and world leaders to see the value of design in everyday lives.”
“Our partnership with UNESCO reinforces the place of architecture and urban design in advancing cultural values and influences in society, so sorely needed in today’s world. Architects see the world in two ways: as it is and as it could be.”
