What: 43rd international conference Piran Days of Architecture and 37th Piranesi Award
Where and when: Avditorij Portorož nad Piran, Slovenia, 20.–21. 11. 2026
Honorary patron: Anna Ramos, director of the Fundació Mies van der Rohe
Organiser and producer: DESSA Architectural Center, Ljubljana
Coorganiser: Costal Galleries Piran
Chair of the PIDA organising committee: Maja Ivanič
Theme: HOW MANY DIMENSIONS ARE THERE TO ARCHITECTURE?
www.pida.si
On Saturday, 21 November, the 43rd international conference Piran Days of Architecture will take place in the Portorož Auditorium in Slovenia, under the honorary patronage of Anna Ramos, Director of the Mies van der Rohe Foundation. This architectural event with one of the longest traditions in the world has been held since 1983 on the initiative and in the organisation of Slovenian architects. More information about the PIDA conference and the Piranesi Award is available at www.pida.si/about-pida-and-piranesi-award.
The theme of the 43rd PIDA conference assumes the title of HOW MANY DIMENSIONS ARE THERE TO ARCHITECTURE?
Slovene architects Blaž Budja and Miloš Kosec wrote:
»Ever since the Renaissance, architecture has been defined through the Euclidean understanding of space. The contemporary designing infrastructure may also be seen as the newest iteration of building technology in three spatial dimensions. Yet the challenges of the 21st century, such as the mounting environmental crisis, wealth inequality, social upheavals, wars, and the inability of architecture to employ the foundations of solidarity in order to intervene into such a world, put forward questions which may not be resolved solely within the space. The so-called "artificial intelligence" – in earnest merely efficient management of existing databases – is making strident inroads into architecture. The analogous issue of creativity and invention in architecture of today encompasses not only the optimal spatialisation of the programme and a consistent and technologically immaculate execution of the detail, but also decisions which carry wider consequences: to what extent do we go for new builds and when can the existent be used, the carbon footprint of the materials used, and the adaptability of the space to future uses not yet envisaged. One is therefore increasingly at a loss to comprehend the creativity and relevance of architecture without its ethical dimension, while vacuous and flawless images of individual architectural marvels are becoming ever more problematic. Why are we not evolving new technologies that would – rather than optimise the existing architectural work – enable the developmental breakthrough into new creative dimensions? To what extent do new technologies foster new creative possibilities, and when do they reduce architectural work to technocratic adherence to (mostly outdated) norms and technical requirements? How does technology define the dimensions of architectural thought and bring forth opportunities for inventions which would not merely reiterate old ideas in new forms? And finally, do new technologies represent a barrier or assist in evolving a new understanding of architectural creativity?«
Blaž Budja, Miloš Kosec
PIDA 2026 will feature lectures by architects from different continents and by students:
Francisco Cifuentes • AULETS • Španija/Spain
Mojca Gregorski • Kontra arhitekti • Slovenija/Slovenia
Nguyen Ha • Nguyen Ha Architects • Vietnam
Dinko Peračić • ARP • Hrvaška/Croatia
Kerstin Thompson • KTA • Avstralija/Australia
Patrick Richards • Stanton Williams • Združeno kraljestvo/United Kingdom
Young architects: Andraž Keršič • a2o2 arhitekti • Slovenia
Students of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ljubljana and/or students of the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Maribor
The PIDA conference will conclude with the 37th ceremony of the international PIRANESI AWARD. The projects were nominated by national and student Piranesi selectors and selected by an international jury, composed of PIDA lecturers.
The nominations are published at www.pida.si/nominations.
After the Piranesi award ceremony, the 2026 PIRANESI AWARD exhibition will traditionaly open at the Monfort Exhibition Hall at 8 pm, and will be on display from 21 November to 30 December 2026.
PIDA program starts two days before the conference with events PIRAN DAYS TO PIRAN:
. On Thursday, 19 November 2026
_ at 5 pm in Lucija Library: children's workshop THE INVISIBLE DIMENSIONS OF ARCHITECTURE, organised by the Centre for Architecture Slovenia, programme Playful Architecture.
. On Friday, 20 November 2026
_ at 5 pm in Piran City Library: lecture by architect Blaž Budja: THE PIRAN DIALOGUES
_ at 6 pm in Herman Pecaric Gallery in Piran: VENUSTAS – THE POETICS OF ARCHITECTS, concept and curated by Uroš Lobnik, Robert Potokar
_ at 7:30 pm in St. Donat Concept Shop and Gallery: photographic exhibition by Roberto Conte: IN LIMBO. ARCHITECTURE IN SUSPENSION, TRANSITION, PARADOX
. On Saturday, 21 November 2026
_ from 10:00 to 18:00 in Auditorium Portoroz: international conference Piran Days of Architecture 2027
_ at 18:00 in Auditorium Portoroz: international Piranesi Award Ceremony 2027
_ at 20:00 in Monfort exhibition hall: inauguration of the exhibition 2027 Piranesi Award
We would like to thank all our sponsors and supporters.
More information, sponsors and supporters, program, registration for the conference, and photos are at www.pida.si.
PIDA organising committee
