10 November 2025: Deadline for submission of paper proposals
28 November 2025: Notification of acceptance of paper proposals
5th February 2026: Deadline for receipt of complete papers
19th to 21st February 2026: Conference dates
Manuals and histories of 20th-century architecture have paid very little attention to modern variations on the language of classicism, but, at least until the outbreak of the Second World War, classical architecture had a decisive presence throughout the world. Reflection on the principles of classicism and the reappearance of so-called ‘Postmodern Classicism’ from 1970 onwards, together with the subsequent more abstract approaches of the contextualists, present an image of 20th-century architecture in which classical language plays a fundamental role that has not yet been properly studied and analysed in the context of academic studies. The main objective of the 1st International Conference on 20th-Century Classical Architecture is the recognition, classification and critical evaluation of the different types of architectural classicism that were significant in the last century with a special focus on those authors and trends that were able to adapt classical language to the sensibilities and unprecedented conditions created by modern society.
The conference will be held in the Conference Room of the Madrid School of Architecture from 19 to 21 February 2026, where national and international experts will give lectures and presentations will be given on papers proposed by researchers registered for the conference and accepted by the Scientific Committee. Given the international nature of the conference, simultaneous translation between Spanish and English will be provided. It will be possible to follow the event live and recorded online, as the presentations will be recorded and published on the conference website in the weeks following the event, with the relevant subtitles. The conference will be followed by the publication of the proceedings in a bilingual format.
MODERNITY AND CLASSICISM
TYPES OF MODERN CLASSICISM
THE HISTORIOGRAPHICAL DEBATE
Registration is free, but required, and can be completed to attend either in person or online.
During the registration process, participants may choose to purchase the conference proceedings once they are published (to reserve a copy for a fee). Participants may also register for any of the optional activities on offer, such as guided tours. These tours will focus on some of the finest examples of Modern Classicism in Madrid. Places for these activities are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Proposals should focus on the topics scheduled for the seminar. They must be at least 1,000 words in length and include an abstract, a clarification of the structure of the proposal, and a preview of the conclusions of the research carried out, as well as a selection of at least three high-quality images representative of the subject studied.
Once the proposal has been received, the organizing team will verify that its content aligns with the objectives of the Seminar. Proposals that meet these objectives will be submitted to a selection process by the Scientific Committee. A maximum of 30 proposals will be selected. If the proposal is accepted, the author will receive the necessary instructions for preparing the final papers, which must be accompanied by a text of between 3,000 and 5,000 words and a selection of between 5 and 20 high-quality images.
They must be sent to: info@culturasconstructivas.org
10 November 2025: Deadline for submission of paper proposals
28 November 2025: Notification of acceptance of paper proposals
5th February 2026: Deadline for receipt of complete papers
The full program will be published in the coming weeks.
9.30 Welcome and reception of participants
10.00 Presentation
10.20 Rational, classical, normal. A point of view and three projects
Vittorio Magnano Lampugnani
10.50 Questions and answers
11.00 Lecture
11.30 Questions and answers
11.40 Coffee break
12.10
Louis I. Kahn, el último arquitecto del siglo XVIII
Pedro Moleón
12.40 Questions and answers
12.50 Presentations
14.05 Questions and answers
14.30 Lunch
16.00
Ars una, species mille
:
Clásico, moderno, vanguardista
Lucas Martí
16.30 Questions and answers
16.40 The politics of empire and resistance in the architecture of New Delhi
Swapna Liddle
17.10 Questions and answers
17.20 Coffee break
17.40
Piacentini y América
Jean-François Lejeune
18.10 Questions and answers
18.30 Presentations
19.45 Questions and answers
20.00 Closing of day 1
10.00
La otra cara del Zeitgeist: El lenguaje del Clasicismo Progresivo
David Rivera
10.30 Questions and answers
10.40 Lecture
11.10 Questions and answers
11.20 Lecture
11.50 Questions and answers
12.00 Coffee break
12.30 Presentations
13.45 Questions and answers
14.30 Lunch
16.00
El Clasicismo Moderno en la Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid
Fernando Vela Cossío
16.30 Questions and answers
16.40 Lecture
17.10 Questions and answers
17.20 Coffee break
17.40 Alejandro García Hermida
18.10 Questions and answers
18.20 Lectures
19.45 Questions and answers
20.00 Closing of day 2
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tour of Gran Vía and Calle Alcalá (Palacio de Correos, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Banco del Río de la Plata, Banco de Vizcaya, Banco Mercantil e Industrial)
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tour of the area around Paseo de la Castellana (Maudes Hospital, Nuevos Ministerios, Church of San Agustín)
10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Tour of the University City and Moncloa (School of Architecture, Museum of America)
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tour of Gran Vía and Calle Alcalá (Palacio de Correos, Círculo de Bellas Artes, Banco del Río de la Plata, Banco de Vizcaya, Banco Mercantil e Industrial)
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tour of the area around Paseo de la Castellana (Maudes Hospital, Nuevos Ministerios, Church of San Agustín)
4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Tour of the University City and Moncloa (School of Architecture, Museum of America)
Alejandro García Hermida, Polytechnic University of Madrid, Traditional Building Cultures Foundation
Lucas Martí, PhD candidate at the Polytechnic University of Madrid
David Rivera, Polytechnic University of Madrid
Tim Benton, Open University
Barry Bergdoll, Columbia University
Guglielmo Bilancioni, Università di Genoa
Gian Paolo Consoli, Università di Bari
Aritz Díez Oronoz, Universidad del País Vasco
Guillermo Gil Fernández, Traditional Building Cultures Foundation
Imanol Iparraguirre, PhD candidate at Universidad del País Vasco
Jean-François Lejeune, University of Miami
José Ignacio Linazasoro, PhD in Architecture
Johan Mårtelius, Kungliga Tekniska Hogskola
Pedro Moleón, Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Luca Ortelli, École Polytechnique de Lausanne
William Pesson, Arcas Architecture
Witold Rybczynski, University of Pennsylvania
Frances Sands, Sir John Soane’s Museum
Markus Tubbesing, Fachhochschule Potsdam
Alejandro Valdivieso, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Fernando Vela Cossío, Polytechnic University of Madrid and CIAT-UPM
Nathaniel Walker, Catholic University of America
The International Conference ‘Modern Classicism in 20th Century Architecture’ is organised by the Fundación Culturas Constructivas Tradicionales and the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (ETSAM-UPM), with the support of the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
The conference is organized in collaboration with INTBAU Spain, INTBAU Portugal, the Hon. City Council of Écija, the Municipal History Museum of Écija, the Royal Academy of Sciences, Fine Arts and Humanities “Luis Vélez de Guevara,” and the Fundação Serra Henriques.