IAAC and the Creative Forefront at the South-West Open Day 2026

On 18 June, Barcelona became the epicentre of cultural innovation with the celebration of the South-West Open Day 2026.

Organised by EIT Culture & Creativity at the BCN XRLab | Palo Alto, the event brought together 118 professionals for a day in which IAAC (the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia) acted not only as a strategic collaborator, but also as a key pillar in shaping the future of Europe’s creative industries.

Fabio Palma, Regional Hub Director for South-West Europe at EIT Culture & Creativity, served as the thread running through the day, setting out the guiding lines for the creative sector across South-West Europe in the years ahead.

The morning session featured Daniel Ibáñez, Director of IAAC, on the panel “Becoming Together: Architecture between the New European Bauhaus and UIA 2026″.

Set against the backdrop of Barcelona as UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, Ibáñez shared the stage with fellow experts to discuss how sustainability and design can transform the built environment.

Beyond his contribution to the panel, IAAC also had a prominent presence in the exhibition area “Architectures of Becoming…“, showcasing projects exploring new frontiers in advanced architecture and circular design.

The afternoon session focused on strategic funding opportunities.

One of the most anticipated moments was the presentation of the RED-Pro success story (Regenerative Ecologies of Design & Production for European Heritage), a project under Horizon Europe’s Cluster 2.

Jessica Guy, Head of Distributed Design at Fab Lab Barcelona (IAAC), led the session as both moderator and Principal Investigator of the project. RED-Pro exemplifies how transnational collaboration can approach European heritage through the lens of regenerative design ecologies. During the session, Guy was joined in conversation by Adeline Marcos (FECYT) and Rolf Hughes (EIT Culture & Creativity), unpacking the keys to successfully navigating European research calls.

IAAC’s participation in this event and the organisation of the Horizon Europe session were made possible thanks to the support of the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, through project GPE2024-001526 (“Implementation of the IAAC HEU Strategy 2025–26”).

This support underlines IAAC’s commitment to acting as a bridge between local creators and the major funding frameworks of the European Union.

Looking ahead to the 2026 and 2027 Work Programmes, IAAC continues to consolidate its role as a driving force within the EIT ecosystem, fostering the intersection of technology, architecture and cultural sovereignty.