Jazairy’s DESIGN EARTH to lead international workshop, present at the World Congress of Architects in Barcelona

DESIGN EARTH, a design research practice directed by Taubman College’s El Hadi Jazairy with Rania Ghosn, will lead an International Emerging Workshop in Barcelona next summer on the theme of “Becoming More than Human” as part of the World Congress of Architects 2026 Barcelona. 

DESIGN EARTH’s ongoing project is a series of fables that address the climate crisis by animating charismatic figures from natural history museums, bringing the creatures from their collections “back to life” through imagery, verse, and humor. The Barcelona workshop “Brava!” extends this practice by examining the environmental heritage of the Mediterranean via a 20-meter-long whale skeleton housed at The Natural Science Museum of Barcelona. “Brava,” as it’s come to be known, was discovered beached in the Costa Brava region of Spain in 1862. 

Over the course of the workshop, participants will curate a media archive on the specimen, museum, city, and region, with a focus on the cultural prehistory, present, and speculative futures of the Mediterranean coast and of marine life. Collaborative explorations through studio work, site visits, and open exchanges will take place June 19-27, followed by an exhibition of the results June 28-July 2.

The World Congress of Architects is organized by the International Union of Architects and held in different locations every three years, bringing together renowned architects, researchers, and influential figures across fields to promote the exchange and production of knowledge. It features lectures, workshops, debates, exhibitions, visits, and celebrations designed to encourage architectural dialog. With a theme of “Becoming. Architectures for a planet in transition,” the 2026 event focuses on speculative, qualitative inquiries to explore material, political, ecological, and poetic interrelations.

DESIGN EARTH are recipients of the United States Artist Fellowship and the Architectural League Prize for Young Architects + Designers. Their work has been featured internationally, including at the Venice Biennale and SFMOMA, and is included in the New York Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.

More details, including information on how to apply for the workshop, are at uia2026bcn.org.

Main Photo: Still from “A Whale Song” by DESIGN EARTH