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An Industry-Academia-Government Collaboration to Mark the Centenary Year of Gaudí’s Passing
Gaudí: Windows on the Future Exhibition Explores the Creative Window Designs of Architect Antoni Gaudí
To be Presented at Gaudí Landmarks in Barcelona, Spain (April–October), with a Satellite Exhibition in Tokyo, Japan (May–July)
YKK AP Inc. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; President: Akira Uozu) will be presenting an exhibition that celebrates the creative and innovative window designs of Antoni Gaudí, titled Gaudí: Windows on the Future, in Barcelona, with a satellite exhibition in Tokyo. Planned for the centenary year of the Catalan architect’s passing in 2026 with the special cooperation of Gaudí landmarks in Spain, the show will complement a number of related commemorative programmes, including the Gaudí Year, organised by the Government of Catalonia and Gaudí landmarks; the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture(*1); and UIA World Congress of Architects(*2). This industry-academia-government collaboration that sets out to contribute to world architectural culture through comprehensively disseminating research and knowledge pertaining to Gaudí-designed openings follows YKK AP’s recent expansion into the EU, where it established YKK AP Europe in April 2025.
The main exhibition will be held at the Gaudí-designed UNESCO World Heritage Site Palau Güell(*3) from 21 April (Tue.) to 25 October (Sun.). Additional offerings themed on Gaudí’s windows, including pop-up exhibitions, documentary video screenings, and a book, will also be presented at several other Gaudí landmarks across Spain. The satellite exhibition, developed based on the same concept as the main exhibition, will be held from 16 May (Sat.) to 12 July (Sun.) at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3 (Tokyo Midtown), located in the Roppongi area.
Project website : https://www.ykkapglobal.com/en/satellite/window-future/gaudi/
Documentary video(*4) : https://youtu.be/HnVHnmClkIQ
Guided by its purpose ‘We Build a Better Society Through Architectural Products’, YKK AP has been striving to enrich people’s lives through windows and other architectural elements not only by conducting window research and development as part of its business operations, but also by collecting and disseminating multifaceted perspectives on windows for the greater culture of architecture. Gaudí: Windows on the Future, an industry-academia-government collaboration project, was conceived with the aim of introducing a selection of YKK AP’s accumulated insights, research findings, and joint studies on Gaudí’s windows through exhibitions, a documentary video, a book, and associated events, inspiring audiences to learn from the rich, multifaceted world of Gaudí’s window designs to contemplate the windows of tomorrow.
The main offering of the project, Gaudí: Windows on the Future, will be staged throughout the Gaudí-designed UNESCO World Heritage Site Palau Güell located in the heart of Barcelona. The exhibition seeks to showcase the appeal of Gaudí’s creative and innovative windows from various angles through a presentation of actual window fixtures and stained-glass pieces formerly used in his buildings, interactive replicas of windows and handles that can be found in his surviving buildings, models and drawings, condensed studies by various researchers and specialists, and a documentary video. It will also present, for the first time, a selection of materials produced through the conjunct activities of YKK AP and the Tokyo Polytechnic University Takeshi Yamamura Lab, which have been conducting joint research on the evolution and genealogy of Gaudí’s window designs and organised an international design workshop in which Japanese and Spanish undergraduate and graduate architecture students collaboratively explored the theme of Gaudí’s windows.
YKK AP and UNESCO World Heritage Site Casa Batlló(*5) presents “Gaudí Window Nights”, a series of free-admission visits sponsored by YKK AP, available daily from June 1 (Mon.) to June 30 (Tue.). More details will be disclosed in the following months. Hailing to the world from Barcelona, Gaudí: Windows on the Future is an official registered programme of the Gaudí Year, UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture, and Catalonia-Japan Year, a celebration of cultural exchange between Catalonia and Japan.
The satellite exhibition in Tokyo will retain the same concept as the main exhibition but be uniquely formatted to leverage the space of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3, which is a site for communicating and proposing designs. It will be presented in conjunction with the third edition of the city-wide open house event Tokyo Architecture Festival 2026. Content related to this exhibition will be posted regularly on the official project website and Instagram account. The satellite exhibition is set to travel to Toyama after its showing in Tokyo.
The project will be disseminated internationally in English, Spanish, Catalan, and Japanese through Gaudí: Windows on the Future, a special publication co-published by YKK AP and Triangle Books, which has made many books about the architect out of Spain. This book will be sold at the gift shops of the various Gaudí landmarks, major Spanish bookstores, Triangle Books’ online store, as well as exhibitions and associated events organised by YKK AP in Japan.
(*1) The UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture is a triennial event jointly organised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization and the International Union of Architects to reinforce the vital roles that architecture, urban planning, and culture play in shaping urban identity and promoting sustainable urban development. The city designated as the World Capital of Architecture becomes a global forum for leading the debate on issues surrounding contemporary urban planning and architecture. Barcelona is hosting the event in 2026.
(*2) The UIA World Congress of Architects, held every three years, brings together prominent architects, researchers, and engineers from around the world to discuss the future of architecture. Known as the world’s largest architectural event, it is organised by the International Union of Architects, which represents national architectural associations from over 100 countries.
(*3) Palau Güell is the former residence of Gaudí’s greatest patron, Eusebi Güell. It is now managed and operated by the Barcelona Provincial Council and is open to the public.
(*4) This is an abridged version of the documentary video. The full version will be screened at select venues.
(*5) The Casa Batlló is a residential building renovated by Gaudí. It is now open to the public as a cultural tourism hub.
Reference Information
| Project Credits [ Special Cooperation ] Palau Güell, Casa Batlló, Casa Vicens, La Pedrera-Casa Milà, Colònia Güell, Park Güell, Bellesguard, El Capricho, and Museo Casa Botines Gaudí [ Project Advisor ] Daniel Giralt-Miracle [ Project Director & Curator ] Ayano Kikuchi (YKK AP) [ Graphic Design (Barcelona) ] Todojunto [ Graphic Design (Tokyo) ] Emuni |
Barcelona Exhibition (main exhibition)
[ Exhibition Title ] Gaudí: Windows on the Future (Gaudí: Finestres al Futur)
[ Dates ] 21 April (Tue.) – 25 October 2026 (Sun.)
[ Venue ] Palau Güell (Carrer Nou de la Rambla, 3-5, Barcelona, Spain)
[ Admission ] Included in the Palau Güell ticket
[ Organiser ] YKK AP and Palau Güell (Barcelona Provincial Council)
[ Venue Website ] https://inici.palauguell.cat/en/windows-on-the-future/
[ Concurrent Programmes ] Gaudí Year (Any Gaudí), UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture, and Catalonia-Japan Year (Any Catalunya-Japó)
Tokyo Exhibition (satellite exhibition)
[ Exhibition Title ] Gaudí: Windows on the Future (ガウディ：未来をひらく窓)
[ Dates ] 16 May (Sat.) – 12 July 2026 (Sun.)
Note: The exhibition will be closed on 26 May (Tue.) and 23 June (Tue.).
[ Venue ] 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3
(Midtown Garden, Tokyo Midtown, 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
[ Admission ] Free
[ Organiser ] YKK AP
[ Venue Website ] https://www.2121designsight.jp/gallery3/gaudi_window
[ Concurrent Programmes ] Tokyo Architecture Festival 2026 and Catalonia-Japan Year (Any Catalunya-Japó)
Common Credits for Both Exhibitions
[ Academic Supervisor ] Takeshi Yamamura (Associate Professor, Tokyo Polytechnic University)
[ Spatial Design ] YSLA Architects
Official Programme of
Book
[ Book Title ] Gaudí: Windows on the Future
[ Production & Editing ] YKK AP
[ Co-publishers ] YKK AP and Triangle Books
[ Languages ] English (with appended translations in Spanish, Catalan, and Japanese)
[ Format ] Hardbound, 200×260 mm
[ Release Date ] February 2026
[ Publisher Website ] https://triangle.cat/en/producto/gaudi-windows-on-the-future/
Note: The book will also be available for purchase at exhibitions and events organised by YKK AP in Japan.
Book Description
Antoni Gaudí propelled his creative career not only by harnessing his unique architectural philosophy and intense spirit of inquiry, his original sense of crafting forms and details, and his keen ability to gather information across the fields of art and technology, but also by joining hands with a wide range of artisans, collaborators, patrons, and clients. He continued to produce a rich variety of windows without being constrained to established styles, techniques, or construction methods, striving to realise an architecture of total integration and harmony. Commemorating the centenary year of Gaudí’s passing, this book presents the most distinctive windows from his early works to the Sagrada Família through beautiful photographs, design materials, and essays by researchers and specialists, inviting readers to contemplate the future of architecture through the architect’s creative and innovative windows.
Contributing Authors
Pau Gonzàlez (Deputy of Culture, Barcelona Provincial Council), Regina Gonthier (President, International Union of Architects), Tadahiro Yoshida (Founder, YKK AP), Josep Maria Montaner (Professor Emeritus, Polytechnic University of Catalonia), Takeshi Yamamura (Associate Professor, Tokyo Polytechnic University), Richard Bru (Professor, Autonomous University of Barcelona), Carlos Mirapeix (Director, El Capricho), Mireia Barnadas i Ribas (architect), Raquel Lacuesta (art historian), Jordi Bonet (stained-glass restorer, Vitralls Bonet), Núria Gil (stained-glass researcher), Galdric Santana (Professor, Polytechnic University of Catalonia; General Curator, Gaudí Year 2026), Miquel Barceló (artist), Ignacio Paricio (Professor Emeritus, Polytechnic University of Catalonia), Núria Martí (Professor, Ramon Llull University), Jordi Faulí (Chief Architect, Sagrada Família), and Ayano Kikuchi (YKK AP).
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