Keynote ‘An Architecture of Nature’ at Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC)

Alison Brooks will deliver a keynote lecture in Barcelona this week as part of the Barcelona International Architecture Film Festival (BARQ), marking the world premiere of ‘Forested Future’.

The 90-minute documentary by Petr Krejčí exploring the power and provenance of eastern forest hardwoods, particularly American Black Cherry, through the lens of Alison’s practice as an architect.

Lecture: An Architecture of Nature

📅 Wednesday, 5 November, 19:30 – 20:30
📍 Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC)
Carrer de Pujades, 102, Sant Martí, 08005 Barcelona

Beyond its environmental benefits and structural potential, Brooks elevates timber from a building material to a medium for emotional and spiritual connection. Her understanding of context as physical, cultural and spiritual stems from her dual Canadian-European education and her growing appreciation for North American indigenous peoples’ worldview.

As the film observes, “in an increasingly urbanised world of eight billion people, our connection with nature is fading. In the face of climate change, biodiversity threats and environmental decline, sources of optimism are increasingly precious.”
The Spanish national premiere of the film, ‘Forested Future’, follows the day after the lecture, at Cinemes Girona on Thursday, 6 November at 18:00.

🎟️ Tickets for the lecture (5 Nov) and film premiere (6 Nov) are available at the box office or online.