Working in a professional environment can teach a young designer much more than university and post-graduate courses. As an institute of excellence in architectural education, Yacademy offers each of its students a proposal of collaboration with one of the eminent studios of its network at the end of its courses. Students can thus work with some of the top players on the architectural scene as well as Pritzker Prize awarded firms: OMA, Snøhetta, SANAA, Zaha Hadid Architects, Ateliers Jean Nouvel and many other first-class practices participate in Yacademy’s placement program.
Living in these environments means learning the studios’ perspective, attitude, values, and integrating them into the student’s design. Sebastian Ulloa-Thompson is an example of this: after finishing the Architecture for Landscape course at Yacademy in 2023, he collaborated with Foster + Partners and had the opportunity to work in dynamic and stimulating teams on more projects, collecting a multi-faceted experience which integrates his professional career substantially.
The placement program is part of Yacademy’s educational offer, which is centered on giving students the opportunity to get to know and work closely with the great masters of contemporary architecture. While at the academy, students attend special lectures held by the most influential architects on the international scene, enjoy moments of informal discussion with them and get their feedback on the projects they are developing for the design workshop of their course.
The placement program at Yacademy consists of 4 steps:
- Personal interview: each student has a private interview with Yacademy’s placement office director, aimed at understanding their sensitivities, inclinations, and aptitudes, gathering at the same time their preferences and aspirations;
- Matching: Yacademy recommends each student to the most suitable firms or those indicated by the students during the interview;
- Connection: Yacademy informs the students of the firms willing to collaborate with them. Students can then accept the proposal and start the collaboration;
- Follow-up & updating: after the collaboration has started, Yacademy is available for its students for any needs that may arise, monitors their activity and continues to inform them about additional professional opportunities.
Yacademy’s placement offers have very positive statistics and results. In 2024, 86% of the proposed collaborations were accepted, and of these, 39% took place in Pritzker Prize-winning firms including David Chipperfield Architects, SANAA, and Morphosis. Furthermore, alumni often give favorable feedback on their placement experience: Oriana Guzzo, who after Yacademy collaborated with Herzog & de Meuron, values the opportunity to see how the studio faces each architectural challenge from within, while Nicolas Ioannou, who was placed at BIG, appreciates the possibility of learning something new every day.
Through a unique combination of academic excellence and real-world engagement, Yacademy offers young architects a decisive stepping stone into the profession. By fostering connections with some of the world’s most influential studios, Yacademy empowers its alumni to enter the field with solid skills, an international perspective, and the confidence to shape the architecture of tomorrow.
Check out Yacademy’s educational offer
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