The General Directorate of Urban Agenda and Architecture (DGAUA) is the governing body of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Agenda, attached to the General Secretariat of Urban Agenda, Housing and Architecture, which assumes the planning, promotion, management and coordination of the powers that, in matters with an impact on urban policies, as well as architecture and building, correspond to the General Secretariat.[1]​.

Early years and evolution (1939-1978)

The General Directorate of Urban Agenda and Architecture, which has received this name since 2020, has its roots in the General Directorate of Architecture, created by Law of September 23, 1939 with the aim of collaborating in the objective that the Franco regime called National Reconstruction.[2] This law integrated the general directorate into the Ministry of the Interior "Ministry of the Interior (Spain)") and all the architects and technical assistants depended on it. that provided service to the State, provinces "Province (Spain)") and municipalities "Municipio (Spain)"), as well as the collegiate or union entities of the aforementioned professions. Its functions were three: the national organization of architecture, directing the intervention of architects in public services that require it and directing professional activities of this type.[2]​.

Since March 12, 1942, the National Anti-Tuberculosis Board became dependent on the General Directorate of Architecture[3]​ and, since July 22, 1949, there was a National Urban Planning Board with the aim of enhancing the urban planning work of the directorate.[4]​.

In February 1956, the General Directorate of Architecture was renamed "Architecture and Urban Planning".[5]​ In 1957, with the creation of the Ministry of Housing "Ministry of Housing (Spain)"), this governing body was assigned to the new department, with the intention of being renamed the General Directorate of Urban Planning,[6]​ but finally Architecture and Urban Planning formed two different bodies.[7]​.

In addition to the functions that it already had, since its integration into this new department it assumed the responsibilities of the extinct General Directorate of Devastated Regions[8]​ and, since June 1960, the functions of the General Directorate of Economy and Construction Technology, becoming known as "General Directorate of Architecture, Economy and Construction Technology."[9]​ Likewise, its name changed to "General Directorate of Architecture and Building Technology" in 1972.[10]​.