Kaplicky Internship Calls for Applications: Winner to join David Chipperfield Architects

The Bakala Foundation has announced a new edition of the Kaplicky Internship competition, which connects the most talented Czech architecture graduates with world-leading firms. This year’s winner will be awarded a three-month paid internship at the Berlin office of David Chipperfield Architects, one of the most respected architectural practices today. Applications opened on April 15, 2026.

For the fifth consecutive year, the award is presented as part of the Diplom.ky competition showcase, organized by the Czech Chamber of Architects (ČKA). Other key partners are the London Design Museum and the Kaplicky Centre Foundation. The Kaplicky Internship has long served as a springboard for young architects, helping them launch their international careers.

Founded in 1985, David Chipperfield Architects is at the absolute forefront of global architecture. Its founder, David Chipperfield, was honored with the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2023. The studio is renowned for its precise, minimalist approach and sensitive work with historical contexts. Its most significant projects include the Neues Museum, the James-Simon-Galerie, and the Procuratie Vecchie in Venice. In Berlin, where the studio has realized some of its most iconic projects, the winner will have the opportunity to work under the guidance of an international team of architects.

“As a practice, we value the opportunity to support emerging architects at a formative moment in their development. The Kaplicky Internship Programme offers a framework for engaging with new perspectives and ideas, while fostering a culture of exchange and reflection. We look forward to welcoming the selected candidate into our studio, where learning is understood as a shared and ongoing process,” David Chipperfield Architects states.

The program’s success as a kickstart for young talent is proven by its alumni. Following her internship at Zaha Hadid Architects, Petra Ross continued her career at the Dutch firm Conix RDBM Architects. Petr Kousal, after his experience at Adjaye Associates, founded his own studio, TMD, operating between Brno and London. Last year’s winner, Vít Veselý, is currently completing a three-month internship at the Tokyo studio of Kengo Kuma & Associates.

Application and Timeline The competition is open to final-year students and recent graduates in architecture (including landscape architecture and urbanism) at Czech universities.

Applications open: April 15, 2026 Application deadline: August 31, 2026 Internship location: David Chipperfield Architects Berlin, Germany How to apply: via the Diplom.ky website