Social Housing, Healthy Building, and AI: Topics of the Congress
David Adjaye, Peris +Toral, Stephen Bates y Mohammed Adib, top speakers at Construmat
The renowned British-Ghanaian architect David Adjaye, the Catalan duo Marta Peris and José Toral of Peris+Toral Arquitectes, British architect Stephen Bates, and Dubai-based Mohammed Adib will be the key speakers at the 2025 Sustainable Building Congress of Construmat. This international forum will take place from May 20 to 22 at the Gran Via venue, addressing key topics such as social housing, healthy buildings, and the use of artificial intelligence, based on global experiences.
Born in Tanzania to Ghanaian diplomats and currently based in London, Sir David Adjaye is renowned for his work on the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. A defender of committed, humane, and social architecture, Adjaye’s creative process emphasizes learning from past generations. His projects include the Sugar Hill affordable housing in New York, the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, and the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo in Russia. His latest endeavor involves transforming Ghana’s healthcare sector by building 101 new prefabricated, energy-efficient hospitals.
Marta Peris and José Toral, Catalan architects, focus on addressing the challenges of the housing crisis and climate emergency. Their Modulus Matrix project, a six-story building with a modular wooden structure, won the 2024 International Prize from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the 2024 Construmat Prize for sustainability. The use of wood helps reduce CO₂ emissions, while the modular design shortens construction times, presenting a model for faster home-building solutions.
References in Sustainability and AI
The third main speaker, Stephen Bates, is the co-founder of Sergison Bates Architects, a UK-based firm. Bates is known for his focus on sustainability, particularly in the construction of social housing and revitalization of public buildings to regenerate degraded areas. Notable works include transforming the former Citroën factory in Brussels into a cultural center, and the renovation of a former workshop into residential housing around a central courtyard in Lavender Hill, London, which won the 2023 RIBA National Award.
Finally, Mohammed Adib, Chief Design Officer at Dewan Architects + Engineers in Dubai since 2017, has over 30 years of experience working on projects across Europe, Asia, and Africa. He founded Intercon, a commercial interior design firm based in Barcelona and Dubai, and has worked on high-profile projects such as The Avenue Hotel and Shaza Mecca Hotel. Adib has been instrumental in Dewan’s expansion into Southeast Asia and in establishing its Metaverse Architecture Department (MAD), where AI is leveraged to enhance design efficiency, creativity, and functionality.
Three Thematic Axes
The 2025 edition of the Sustainable Building Congress will focus on three key thematic areas: Biohabitability and Health, which will showcase materials, projects, and designs for healthy living environments; Social Housing, aimed at addressing the housing deficit through affordable and quality residential projects; and Artificial Intelligence, highlighting AI’s role in optimizing architecture design, construction, and management processes.
The Congress, featuring over 50 speakers, is technically directed by architect Jorge Arditti, president of the Mexican chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and one of the international leaders in sustainable construction.
The Sustainable Building Congress will be a major feature of Construmat, the International Construction Fair organized by Fira de Barcelona. The event is set to host 350 exhibitors from 22 countries, offering a showcase for technologies, systems, and building materials, while serving as a forum for advancing toward a more innovative and responsible construction model that can also address Spain’s housing deficit. Over 22,000 visitors are expected.
Barcelona, February 27th, 2025
Images of the Congress (2024) here
Photos of the top speakers 2025 here
PRESS REGISTRATION Construmat 2025 here
Maria Dolors Herranz-Edu Pérez Moya
Tel. 93 233 25 41 – 21 66
premsa@firabarcelona.com