The Institute of Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, together with the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), Ajuntament de Barcelona, Diputació de Barcelona, Generalitat de Catalunya, CREAF, CTFC, and Parc de Belloch, is glad to present some of the forthcoming activities of the Barcelona European Forest City 2022, which include the EFI 2022 Annual Conference that will take place on 1-9 October in Barcelona.

Since 2014, the European Forest Institute has granted the title of ‘European Forest City’ to the city which hosts the EFI Annual Conference. The award to Barcelona recognizes the management of the city and metropolitan area which includes conservation, protection, and development of forest areas, as well as research into a new urban model that promotes nature-based solutions.

In that framework, the city of Barcelona and its metropolitan area are encouraging public participation in activities related to this year’s topic of reflection: Bioeconomy for cities. How can biocities transform the way we live on the planet? The events planned for the month of October will take place throughout several locations in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, among others the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion and the IAAC Valldaura Labs, in the Collserola park.

1st-9th October, Mies van der Rohe Pavilion

“Mass is More” at Mies Pavillion, IAAC – Bauhaus Earth

“Mass is More” is a project by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and Bauhaus Earth at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion in Barcelona that explores the use of regenerative and decarbonizing architectural materials, exposing the multi-layered processes behind the construction of the built environment. The mass timber CLT panels composing all elements of the installation, sustainably sourced from Spanish forests, are used in a way that gracefully demonstrates the performative, structural, and tactile capacities of this material.

This space serves as the venue for the launching of Mass Madera, a Spanish mass timber building network promoted by Built by Nature. The installation has been produced by the Finsa and Xilonor, a galician timber company, and incorporate a visual environmental representation developed together with Bestiario. “Mass is More” is part of the events of the European Forest City 2022 that will take place in Barcelona organized by the European Forest Institute, with the support of the Metropolitan Area and the Barcelona City Council.

The installation “Mass is More” will be open to visit from 1st to 9th of October 2022 at the Mies van der Rohe Pavilion.

5th October, Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site.

EFI Annual Conference

The Associate and Affiliate Members of EFI meet on an annual basis at the Annual Conferences. The Associate Members have a right of vote at the Conference and they thus approve matters such as audited financial materials and work plans, and make decisions on the future plans and activities of EFI. EFI Annual Conferences gather over 140 active representatives of the member organizations, and consequently form an active hub of interaction in international forest research.

Within the framework of the EFI Annual Conference “Young Scientists Session on Climate Smart Forestry” from 14:45 to 17:20 will be open to the public.

6th October, Museum of Design,

Scientific seminar: “Biocities: placing nature and people at the centre of the urban environment”

The Scientific Seminar will facilitate an international science-policy-practice dialogue on the transformative potential of trees, forests, and wood (and other biomaterials) to rethink the build environment and create healthy, sustainable and resilient cities as well as rural-urban sustainable interfaces.

Read more and register here.