Last February, IAAC – Advanced Architecture Barcelona welcomed Benjamin Iborra, Co-Founder and Partner at Mesura, for a new session within the IAAC Lecture Series 2025/26.

In his lecture Encounters with Neoartisans, Iborra reflected on how a new generation of architects and builders has been redefining the relationship between craft, material intelligence and architectural production.

During the session, Iborra discussed how this emerging generation has developed within a context shaped by economic crisis and environmental urgency. In response to these conditions, architects and builders have cultivated a renewed sensitivity toward material responsibility, resourcefulness and collaborative modes of construction. Rather than separating tradition from innovation, these “neoartisans” operate at their intersection, combining technical precision with cultural awareness.

Through selected projects from Mesura, the lecture examined how contemporary practice has been shifting from expansion-driven models toward more conscious and context-driven ways of building. Construction logic, local knowledge and material systems were presented as central tools in redefining architectural agency and shaping new approaches to design and production.

The session also highlighted the work of Mesura, a Barcelona-based architecture studio known for its precise and contextually grounded practice. The studio’s projects demonstrate how architectural work can integrate innovation, material depth and long-term responsibility within contemporary design culture.

As part of the IAAC Lecture Series, the lecture brought together students, alumni and invited guests to engage with critical questions shaping the future of architecture and the built environment. Through his reflections on neoartisanship, Benjamin Iborra offered insight into how craft, collaboration and material intelligence continue to influence contemporary architectural practice.

If you’re interested in exploring how architecture can bridge tradition and innovation, discover IAAC’s full range of master’s programmes here.