Kaplicky Internship

From Gas Station to Hybrid Buildings: Justýna Kaislerová, 10th Winner of the Kaplicky Internship

December 3, 2024
The milestone 10th edition of the Kaplicky Internship competition, organized by the Bakala Foundation to honor students and recent graduates of Czech architectural schools, has its winner. Justýna Kaislerová, a graduate of AVU, took the top spot with her project transforming gas stations into hybrid urban buildings. Her victory secures her a three-month paid “dream internship” at the world-renowned Studio Libeskind in New York.
During the finals, held on Monday, December 2, 2024, at the Bakala Foundation's Student Hub, eight finalists out of a total of 56 applicants presented their projects to a professional jury. Alongside Czech experts, the panel included Jan Kasl, President of the Czech Chamber of Architects, and Yama Karim, a partner at Studio Libeskind. Karim, an accomplished designer and architect, has worked on major studio projects such as the Albert Einstein Museum in Jerusalem and the Memory Foundations project, which redefined New York’s Ground Zero site.
For the third consecutive year, the Kaplicky Internship has been linked with the Master´s Thesis Showcase held by the Czech Chamber of Architects (Diplom.ky). The announcement of winners from both competitions was preceded by a lecture by Yama Karim titled Revitalizing Cities: The Art and Impact of Urban Renewal and took place at CAMP (Center for Architecture and Metropolitan Planning).
Following the lecture, awards were presented to young architects. The winner of the 10th Kaplicky Internship was Justýna Kaislerová. Her project 'MOL Smíchov – Transforming Gas Stations into Hybrid Urban Buildings in the Productive City' impressed the jury with its vision to convert a gas station in Prague’s Smíchov district into hybrid urban buildings, emphasizing block development and public spaces.
The Awarded Project by Justýna Kaislerová 'MOL Smíchov – Transforming Gas Stations into Hybrid Urban Buildings in the Productive City,' focused on converting a gas station in Prague's Smíchov district, emphasizing block development and public spaces.
The Awarded Project by Justýna Kaislerová 'MOL Smíchov – Transforming Gas Stations into Hybrid Urban Buildings in the Productive City,' focused on converting a gas station in Prague's Smíchov district, emphasizing block development and public spaces.
I am honored to have won and truly value this opportunity. I’m grateful for this competition as it provides great motivation for all students. The atmosphere during the presentations was very pleasant and friendly, the discussions were constructive, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience,” said Kaislerová.
Explaining what set Kaislerová’s project apart, Yama Karim remarked: “What stood out to me was the breadth and diversity of her skills and the way she thinks. As for the project itself, I appreciated its urbanistic concept, which can extend beyond this specific project to benefit other cities. It touches on a current trend and approaches it from a fresh perspective. I was particularly impressed by her effort to optimize existing spaces, replacing horizontal urban sprawl with vertical expansion. Architecture is about technical, formal, and presentation skills while also bringing a personal touch to a project, and she excelled at all of it.”
Alongside the winning project, seven others reached the finals. Patrik M. Berinšter’s project explored diverse architectural traditions, while Martina Divišová proposed a parking house. Jonáš Klvaň worked on improving public spaces and greenery in Prague’s Žižkov district, a theme also tackled by Mikuláš Ott in his Grønn. Spirituality connected two other projects: Tomáš Verner presented a prayer hall design for the Brethren Church on Bohdalec Hill in Prague, and Šimon Mezovský proposed a mental health center for Prague 5. Matouš Koudelka also focused on Smíchov with a design for the conversion of the Radlická dairy.
With her victory, Justýna Kaislerová joins nine previous Kaplicky Internship winners, who have earned internships at renowned architectural studios such as Zaha Hadid Architects, Studio Heatherwick, Foster + Partners, Eva Jiřičná Architects, and more.

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