Kaplicky Internship - Announcement of the 12th Year of the Competition

The Bakala Foundation announces a new round of the Kaplicky Internship competition, which connects the best Czech graduates in architecture with world-class experts in the field. This year's winner will receive a paid three-month internship at the Berlin office of David Chipperfield Architects, one of the most respected architectural firms today. Applications opened on April 15, 2026.

The prize is part of the competition showcase Diplom.ky for the fifth time, organized by the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA). Other partners of the competition include the London Design Museum and the Kaplicky Centre Foundation. The Kaplicky Internship serves as a long-term springboard for young architects, helping them launch international careers.

David Chipperfield's studio, established in 1985, is at the absolute top of the global architecture scene. Its founder, David Chipperfield, won the prestigious Pritzker Prize for architecture in 2023. The studio is known for its precise, minimalist approach and sensitive work with historical context. Among its most significant projects are the Neues Museum, James Simon Gallery, and Procuratie Vecchie in Venice. In Berlin, where the studio has realized some of its key projects, the winner will have the opportunity to work under the guidance of an international team of architects.

“As a studio, we greatly value the opportunity to support emerging architects at an important stage of their professional development. The Kaplicky Internship creates space for the meeting of new perspectives and ideas while promoting open exchange of experiences and reflection. We look forward to welcoming the selected candidate to our team, where learning is perceived as a shared and continuous process,” say representatives of David Chipperfield Architects.

The Kaplicky Internship represents a significant opportunity for professional development, as confirmed by specific alumni of the program. Petra Ross continued after her internship at Zaha Hadid Architects in the Dutch studio Conix RDBM Architects, while Petr Kousal founded his own studio TMD, operating between Brno and London, after his experience at Adjaye Associates. Last year's winner Vít Veselý is currently completing a three-month internship at the Tokyo studio Kengo Kuma & Associates.

Application and Schedule
The competition is intended for final-year students and recent graduates of architectural programs (including landscape architecture and urbanism) from Czech universities.
Opening of applications: April 15, 2026
Deadline for the competition: August 31, 2026
Internship location: David Chipperfield Architects Berlin, Germany
Application method: via the website Diplom.ky



The Kaplicky Internship prize is once again part of the competition showcase Diplom.ky, organized by the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA). Applications open on April 15, 2026, on the diplom.ky website and close on August 31, 2026. The winner, who will join previous laureates of the competition, will be announced at the end of 2026.

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