One of the largest gatherings of architects in the world took place at the 22nd Congress of the Union Internationale des Architectes (UIA), described as the sixth great marketplace of architecture. Held from July 3 to 7, 2005 — corresponding to the third week of Tir 1384 in the Iranian calendar — the congress convened in Istanbul, Turkey.
The UIA was founded in 1948 with 27 member countries and now boasts more than 100 member states. As one of the largest gatherings of the world's architects, this triennial congress met at Yedi Kule, a historic fortress of Istanbul. It was opened with the message of the country's president and the prime minister's address. Some 7,500 participants were reported in attendance. As to the number of representatives, Greece was at the top of the list only after the host country, with Iran being fourth.
Congress Program
The congress program comprised various sections, with papers presented simultaneously in multiple halls of the convention center. Of the papers submitted to the UIA, approximately 261 were accepted for presentation. Seven papers by Iranian participants were delivered, presented across multiple halls of the venue.
Additionally, from among the submitted papers, 193 were from Iranian architects, presented as poster submissions. Iranian participants included Farhad Ahmadi, Mohammadi, Hossein Fallah, Amir Ebrahim, and Reza Pourtaqavi, among others.
The presentations covered diverse thematic areas including:
2. "Year of Architecture" — focusing on Turkish architectural methods and diverse approaches
3. Film screenings, congress sessions, debates, and workshops on architecture and urban design topics
UIA Awards
The congress themes encompassed a broad range of subjects: general architectural topics, art and architecture, urban design works, local building experiences, formation of new spaces, architectural technology and design, architecture and the environment, communication and architecture, social architecture, organizational landscape, exemplary project reviews, new projects, architecture and landscape design, and the spirit of place.
The UIA Gold Medal, with its decades-long history, remains the greatest honor an architect can receive from professional peers. It represents recognition of a lifetime of achievement in the architectural community. Past recipients have included some of the most distinguished figures in modern architecture.
Discovering Istanbul
Those who traveled from all corners of the world for the 22nd UIA Congress had the great fortune to experience a truly unique city. Istanbul is perhaps without equal anywhere in the world. While one may point to its extraordinary history, its geographical position straddling Europe and Asia remains one of its most remarkable and defining features. The urban fabric itself constitutes an unparalleled experience of architecture and urban design.
Urban planning and architecture in Istanbul possess unique characteristics. Great mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque) and Hagia Sophia are among the world's artistic and historical masterpieces. The Grand Bazaar, covering some 46 hectares, is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Its labyrinthine passages and vaulted ceilings represent centuries of Ottoman commercial architecture.
Modern Istanbul also reveals traces of contemporary architecture alongside its historic fabric. New towers and tall buildings in the Levent and Besiktas districts rival those of major European cities. The suspension bridges spanning the Bosphorus Strait — including the 15 July Martyrs Bridge and the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge — stand as symbols of modern engineering. Istanbul remains a city where the confluence of civilizations and cultures is vividly and unmistakably manifest.