INTBAU marks its 25th anniversary with a year-long programme of activity celebrating a quarter century of work in traditional building, architecture, and urbanism. The anniversary year opened with INTBAU’s fifth World Congress, Progress in Tradition, reflecting both on the network’s journey to date and on the continuing role of tradition in shaping the built environment today and into the future.

The launch of 25 Years of INTBAU is part of the wider celebration. Throughout 2026, INTBAU will highlight the many projects, programmes, and initiatives across its global network empowering individuals and communities, revived local building traditions, and shown that resilience, purpose, and beauty remain essential to creating better places to live.

We invite you to stay connected as this anniversary year unfolds.

25 Years of INTBAU — Introduction

It is with immense pride that we mark the occasion of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the founding of INTBAU. For a quarter of a century, our network has been a beacon for traditional building, architecture, and urbanism, championing a more humane, sustainable, and culturally rich built environment for people around the world.

In 2001, His Majesty King Charles III, then The Prince of Wales, became Royal Founding Patron of the vision which founded INTBAU. That vision was to connect and amplify the work of traditional architects, craftspeople, and urban designers working in isolation across the globe. Twenty-five years later, that vision is a vibrant reality. Our network has grown to include over forty national chapters on every continent, and many thousands of members.

The International Council of Chapters is the beating heart of our organisation and sits at the core of all our activities across these territories. In parallel, the members of our international College of Traditional Practitioners are engaged in numerous projects being realised in countries and contexts where, until relatively recently, such approaches to the built environment had been absent for many decades.

Our twenty-fifth anniversary year begins at our fifth World Congress, an international gathering focused on Progress in Tradition. The World Congress gives us pause both to reflect on our journey thus far and, more importantly, to look to the future. Together, we will celebrate the countless projects, workshops, and educational programmes that have empowered individuals and communities, revived local building traditions, and demonstrated that resilience, purpose, and beauty are essential components of a thriving future.

The challenges we face today, from rapid urbanisation and climate change to the erosion of local character, make INTBAU’s mission more vital than ever. Our work provides a necessary and powerful counter-narrative, showing that by respecting local climate, context, and culture, we can create places that are not only beautiful but also in harmony with the planet and more resilient for the communities they serve.

None of our achievements would have been possible without the generous support of our committed donors throughout the past twenty-five years. As we look to the generations to come, we have ensured that the close collaboration between the International Council of Chapters and the Board of Trustees, supported by the tireless work of our Secretariat, places INTBAU in the best possible position to take on the challenges and opportunities ahead.

To our national chapters, our passionate members, our partners, sponsors, and, of course, to our Royal Founding Patron, on behalf of the Board of Trustees I extend my sincerest thanks. Your unwavering commitment to our shared principles has brought us to this moment.

As we mark this significant milestone, let us renew our commitment to the values that define our network. Let us continue to be a voice for tradition, a hub for the exchange of knowledge and wisdom, and a catalyst for creating better places to live. The past twenty-five years have proven the power of our network; the next twenty-five years will show how that power can shape a more sustainable future.

Floreat INTBAU!

Alireza Sagharchi RIBA FRSA
Chair of the Board of Trustees

Contents

I. Introduction
II. Founders’ Letters
III. Timeline
IV. Chapter Essays
V. Epilogue

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25 Years of INTBAU is available to download below.