Rafael Masó Featured Among the Architects in the ICOM Conference "The Architect Beyond the Building: Design and the Decorative Arts"

Friday, October 16, 2026

The 2026 ICOM Design annual conference will take place at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya from November 11 to 13

Jordi Falgàs, director of the Fundació Rafael Masó, will participate in the annual ICOM Design conference with a paper titled "Designing Modern Domesticity: Rafael Masó Between Craft Tradition and Industrial Production." He will present Masó as an example of an architect who had to confront the growing industrial production of household objects that had previously been handcrafted.

The symposium "The Architect Beyond the Building: Design and the Decorative Arts" will be held at the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya and will explore the architect's role beyond the one traditionally associated with architectural and urban planning projects. Bringing together leading researchers, curators, and museum professionals, the conference will examine architectural practice from the perspectives of design, craftsmanship, and the intimate scale of domestic objects and spaces. It will also address the wide range of creative work undertaken by architects, both within the context of building projects and beyond, including furniture, ceramics, jewelry, graphic design, curatorial work and exhibition design, as well as interior design and architectural ornament. The conference will explore these multidisciplinary practices beyond the scale of the building, examining projects, creative processes, materials, photography, and artistic influences across diverse geographical and cultural contexts around the world.

The 2026 ICOM Design annual conference will take place in Barcelona in a particularly significant year for the city. Designated World Capital of Architecture, Barcelona is also commemorating the centennial of Antoni Gaudí's death. His work has left a lasting mark on the city's built environment and cultural identity. Gaudí's practice offers a particularly compelling starting point for this discussion, as it challenges the boundaries between architecture, design, craftsmanship, and the decorative arts.


More information and full program here