The UIA was founded on 28 June 1948 in Lausanne, Switzerland, following the merger of the Comité permanent international des Architectes and the Réunion International des Architectes. Its General Secretariat is located in Paris. The organisation is recognised as the only global architecture organisation by most United Nations agencies, including UNESCO, UNCHS, ESOSOC, UNIDO and the World Health Organization as well as the WTO. The current (2021-2023) president is José Luis Cortés from Mexico.

Through its Member Sections, the UIA is represented in over 100 countries and territories, geographically grouped into five regions:

• Region I: Western Europe
• Region II: Eastern Europe
• Region III: The Americas
• Region IV: Asia and Oceania
• Region V: Africa

The governing bodies of the UIA are:

• The Assembly: the supreme body of the UIA composed of delegates from UIA Member Sections in addition to Council members.
• Council: between meetings of the Assembly, the Council is responsible for managing and directing the affairs of the Union. It is composed of 4 elected members from each of the UIA's five regions in addition to the Bureau members.
• Bureau: composed of the President, the Immediate Past President, the Secretary General, the Treasurer, and a Vice-President from each Region

• Sir Patrick Abercrombie, United Kingdom (1948–1953)
• Jean Tschumi, Switzerland (1953–1957)
• Hector Mardones Restat, Chile (1957–1961)
• Sir Robert Matthews, United Kingdom (1961–1965)
• Eugene Beaudouin, France (1965–1969)
• Ramon Corona Martin, Mexico (1969–1972)
• Georgui Orlov, USSR (1972–1975)
• Jai Rattan Bhalla, India (1975–1978)
• Louis de Moll, USA (1978–1981)
• Rafael De La Hoz, Spain (1981–1985)
• Georgi Stoilov, Bulgaria (1985–1987)
• Rod Hackney, United Kingdom (1987–1990)
• Olufemi Majekodunmi, Nigeria (1990–1993)
• Jaime Duro, Spain (1993–1996)
• Sara Topelson, Mexico (1996–1999)
• Vassilis Sgoutas, Greece (1999–2002)
• Jaime Lerner, Brazil (2002–2005)
• Gaetan Siew, Mauritius (2005–2008)
• Louise Cox, Australia (2008–2011)
• Albert Dubler, France (2011–2014)
• Esa Mohamed, Malaysia (2014–2017)
• Thomas Vonier, USA (2017–2021)
• José Luis Cortés, Mexico (2021–2023)

The UIA World Congresses are key events for professional and cultural exchange among all the world's architects, bringing together thousands of participants from around the globe. Each event focuses on a different architecture-related theme, developed by eminent personalities from the international architectural, planning and construction fields. Debates, exhibitions, tours and networking events make the UIA Congresses the perfect meeting place for experts, colleagues, friends, and students of architecture.

UIA Congresses are organised by a host UIA Member Section. Congress bids are submitted to the UIA General Assembly and selected by vote six years in advance of the event.

List of congresses from 1948 to 2026

On 23 November 2018, the UIA published a Memorandum of Understanding^[5] with UNESCO on the new joint label World Capital of Architecture. The title is awarded every three years, according to the rhythm of the UIA World Congresses. Since 2020, the world congress has always taken place in the respective world capital. There is a formal application process for this. The World Congress selects the World Capital for the year of the next World Congress from the shortlist of applications, the formal announcement being made by the Secretary General of UNESCO. In 2020 Rio de Janeiro was the world capital of architecture, 2023 Copenhagen^[6] and 2026 Barcelona. A program and a series of major events take place in the respective world capital throughout the calendar year.

Since 1984 the organisation also awards the UIA Gold Medal to honour an architect (or group of architects) having distinguished themselves through their work and professional practice by the quality of services rendered to man and society. Past recipients of the award were:

The UIA also awards the following five prizes:

• The Patrick Abercrombie Prize for Urban Planning and Design
• The Auguste Perret Prize for Technology in Architecture
• The Jean Tschumi Prize for Architectural Writing & Critique
• The Robert Matthew Prize for Sustainable & Humane Environments
• The Vassilis Sgoutas Prize for Implemented Architecture Serving the Impoverished

The UIA manages international architecture competitions.

• Georges Pompidou Centre, Paris
• Indira Gandhi Centre, New Delhi
• Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris
• National Museum of Seoul
• Prado National Museum, Madrid (rehabilitation and extension)
• Opera House, Sydney

• UIA official website