The Traditional Building Cultures Foundation and INTBAU Spain took part in the INTBAU World Congress 2025, held in London from 22 to 24 October to mark the organisation’s 25th anniversary. The event brought together experts, professionals, and students from around the world to reflect on the future of traditional architecture, building, and urbanism.
Under the motto inspired by Gustav Mahler’s words —“Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire”—, the congress offered a diverse programme of lectures, discussions, and screenings that explored the past, present, and future of tradition in the built environment.
Alejandro García Hermida, director of the Foundation, moderated the panel discussion “Building: Craft & Construction”, dedicated to the building arts and traditional trades. The session brought together practitioners and developers who have devoted their careers to the crafts that make traditional architecture possible today. Among the speakers was Max Rutgers, recipient of the 2024 Building Arts Award in the category of woodwork, along with other distinguished international experts.
The congress also featured an exhibition showcasing the work of INTBAU’s national chapters, where the initiatives of the Traditional Building Cultures Foundation, organized in collaboration with INTBAU Spain, were presented as an example of efforts that promote the preservation of traditional crafts, materials, and building techniques.
As part of the closing programme, a screening was held at the Everyman Cinema featuring two documentaries produced by the Caravane Earth Foundation: one dedicated to Léon Krier and the other to Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil, both followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers. Léon Krier, a key figure in contemporary thought on classical and traditional architecture, has been an important supporter of the Foundation’s projects since its inception.
