FAB26: Shaping the Next 25 Years of the Fab Lab Network
Fab Lab Barcelona IAAC is preparing for the upcoming FAB26 Conference with a comprehensive programme of activities, workshops, and research contributions.
Fab Lab Barcelona, part of IAAC – Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, is preparing for the upcoming FAB26 Conference with a comprehensive programme of activities, workshops, and research contributions.
Last year, at FAB25 in the Czech Republic, a clear realization emerged: the future is not something to anticipate, but something already being collectively constructed. At FAB26, we aim to build on this insight—broadening participation, amplifying diverse voices, and celebrating 25 years of the Fab Lab Network as a shared global achievement.
You can explore the full FAB25 report here: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/2acc0b6e1a.html#page/1
And our Thoughts after coming back from the event: https://fablabbcn.org/blog/take-action/fab25-a-week-of-connection-creativity-and-collective-celebration
Our participation in FAB26, hosted in Boston and Cambridge, reflects a moment of strategic alignment. Together with the Fab City Foundation and the Fab Foundation, we see this gathering as an opportunity to reflect on 25 years of practice and to define a clear roadmap for the decades ahead.
We look forward to sharing ongoing work such as “Ensemble” and the forthcoming “Territorios Productivos,” highlighting Barcelona as a leading example of a productive, networked city. These contributions will connect closely with the People & Planet track, where discussions will focus on scaling sustainable and inclusive urban models.
We’re looking forward to showcasing the latest developments in DTECLA project, the new plans for Fab Learnign Academy, the expansion of Specialization in Digital Fabrication and Innovation – EFDI and renewing our commitment to STEAM education through hands-on learning.
Our commitment to Academany Educational Platform remains central. After more than a decade of Global Coordination of Fab Academy, we continue to support Academany’s new programs and invest in strengthening a global ecosystem of distributed learning. As every year, we’re proud to organize the Academy Graduation on July 29th where we’ll be graduating the students from Fabricademy, Fab Academy, Fab Learning Academy and for the first time, Fab Futures!
This year, the collaboration grows even stronger across the wider IAAC ecosystem, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing the agenda of digital fabrication, open knowledge, and the commons through interdisciplinary and practice-based approaches. The involvement of colleagues from IAAC’s Robotics Lab further reinforces the connection between the Fab Lab network, industrial robotics, and advanced fabrication, creating new opportunities to integrate hands-on experimentation and technological innovation within emerging fields of design and production. As part of this expanded collaboration, the initiative will also welcome the participation of the director of the IAAC Robotics Lab, Alex Dubor.
Beyond the formal programme, FAB26 offers a vital space for exchange—where partnerships are formed, ideas are tested, and new pathways emerge.
Join us in this collective effort to shape what comes next.
📍 Boston & Cambridge
📅 July 27–31, 2026
Come for the ideas. Stay for the exchange. Leave with new perspectives.
