ARCHIP, an international school of architecture in Prague, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The school marked the occasion with an evening event at the Art Garden Foundation, where students, alumni, faculty, architects, and friends of the school gathered. The program also featured a student performance that transformed the garden into a space for movement, socializing, and shared experiences.

15 years of the school, hundreds of students and alumni

ARCHIP was founded in 2011 with the vision of creating an open, international school of architecture in Prague. Today, it offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs taught in English, and its students come from more than 30 countries around the world. The fusion of diverse cultures, experiences, and perspectives on architecture is one of the school’s defining characteristics.

Hundreds of students and graduates from dozens of countries have passed through the school, many of whom now work in architectural firms and other fields around the world.

“From the very beginning, ARCHIP has been founded on the principle that architecture does not emerge in a vacuum. We need to meet, discuss, challenge our own perspectives, and learn from people who come from different backgrounds,” says Regina Loukotová, rector of ARCHIP.

“It is precisely this international exchange that characterizes our school,” adds Klára Doleželová, vice rector of ARCHIP.

Here, students learn from only the best

ARCHIP has attracted both Czech and international students thanks to Prague itself a living laboratory of architecture and its professional faculty.

In Prague, students have the opportunity to explore the relationship between architecture, history, landscape, public space, and the contemporary city. A striking example is the long-term project involving the area surrounding Prague Castle. Students are involved in the restoration of the historic Stájový dvůr and in shaping the relationship between Prague Castle and the surrounding landscape. The results of their work, under the guidance of Zuzana Drahotová, are presented directly at Prague Castle.

The teaching team reflects the school’s international character. Faculty members include, for example, Dutch architect and urban planner Winy Maas, co-founder of MVRDV, as well as Jaroslav Wertig, Jakub Kopecký, and Elan Fessler. Current studies are also led by Šimon Prokop and Lukáš Kurilla, who work with digital tools, generative design, and new design methods, among other things.

The curriculum combines work with a specific city with experimentation, technology, and the international architectural scene. Zuzana Tittl’s Urban Studio focuses on the city as a complex whole and integrates urbanism, landscape, public space, data, and everyday life.

A look back and the next chapter

The anniversary gathering was not just a look back at the school’s fifteen years, but above all a celebration of the community that has formed around ARCHIP. The celebrations will continue throughout the semester in the spirit of the motto: connecting space for architecture, ideas, and the world.

“Our vision which we are successfully fulfilling is for students to have the opportunity to encounter architecture not only in textbooks but also through direct contact with the people and places that shape it today. Prague is a wonderful environment for this because it allows us to combine local experience with an international perspective,” adds Regina Loukotová.