How can architecture embody the values and identity of a brand?
Yacademy’s course in Architecture for Fashion aims to train professional designers in interpreting the identity of a brand to transform it into an architectural space, transferring its meanings of exclusivity, luxury and elegance from the garment to the environment deputed to exhibit it.
With this in mind, Yacademy envisioned an extensive program including special lectures, teaching modules, workshops, and visits focusing on diverse aspects of the fashion world, providing deeper understanding of its needs, dynamics, and peculiarities.
At the end of the course, students will acquire the ability to respond brilliantly to the needs of any client, even out of the fashion system, with specific skills in retail and exhibition design, communication and brand identity.
Such is the purpose of the course in Architecture for Fashion, an educational program meant for young designers and graduates who want to refine their architectural skills with excellent cultural references and a renewed attention to the more modern display technologies and products exhibition.
Key Information
- 3 scholarships are available, each covering the entire enrollment fee.
- The classes will take place in Bologna, Italy, in a medieval building located in the historical city centre. However, online attendance is possible as well.
- The course will start in March 2026 and finish in May 2026, with a frequency of around 3 days per week.
- All modules and activities – lessons, special lectures, workshops, and visits – can be held in Italian or English. In any case, translation into English is always available.
- The application deadline is 19 December 2025.
Structure: Special Lectures, Workshop, and Placement
Special Lectures by SANAA, MVRDV, Herzog & de Meuron, Zaha Hadid Architects
Yacademy’s mission is to bring young talented architects into contact with the greatest interpreters of contemporary architecture. With this purpose, the Architecture for Fashion educational program offers a series of special lectures held by the most renowned architects in the field of humanitarian design.
Thus, the course will feature Aser Giménez-Ortega, Associate Director at MVRDV, as guest lecturer focusing on the studio’s Crystal Houses project. Awarded with several acknowledgements, this undertaking located in Amsterdam uses glass to evoke Dutch tradition and maintain the character of the site, hoping to “provide a solution to the loss of local character in shopping areas around the world”, as stated by the studio itself.
Kazuyo Sejima will then discuss SANAA’s project for Dior in Omotesando, while Olga Bolshanina, Associate Partner at Herzog & de Meuron, will present two important projects developed by the Swiss studio in Aoyama, Tokyo, for Prada and Miu Miu. These lectures will introduce students to the strategies and thinking adopted by some of the greatest players in the world of architecture for the haute couture industry.
Other speeches will include Duccio Grassi, Saman Dadgostar, Claudio Silvestrin, Philip Fimmano, Joaquin Bonifaz, and Andrea Trimarchi. Some of the guest lecturers will also share their opinions about the projects students will be developing for the design workshop during the critique sessions.
Design Workshop: Imagining a pop-up store for the historic fashion brand Agnona
Yacademy’s Architecture for Fashion course aims at providing students with effective skills to combine aesthetics, functionality and production efficiency. The design workshop meets exactly this purpose, being a crucial step of Yacademy’s educational program.
The design workshop for the course in Architecture for Fashion is tutored by Giuseppe Zampieri, founder of David Chipperfield Architects office in Milan, who in his career at the Pritzker Prize awarded studio has directed an extensive array of national and international projects and a series of works that have won both national and international competitions.
The workshop, conducted in collaboration with Agnona, a historic brand of contemporary luxury based in Milan, will ask students to design a pop-up store capable of embodying its identity and values; not just a store, but an immersive experience capable of communicating the elegance and refinement that distinguish Agnona. Watch the video to learn more!
The main objective of the workshop is to reflect on the potential of the temporary space as a place of privileged representation of the brand and to design innovative, sustainable and replicable solutions.
Divided into groups and tutored by the renowned architect, young designers will thus have the opportunity to enhance their personal and professional skills, refining their ability to work within a team on a real design challenge.
After the Course: Placement Opportunities
What do you do once the course is over?
Finding your own place in the labor market is one of the biggest challenges in architecture. To help Architecture for Fashion students unlock their career with a true job opportunity, Yacademy guarantees each designer a proposal of collaboration with one of its partner firms.
Some of the architectural practices with the greatest expertise in relation to humanitarian design are David Chipperfield Architects, SANAA, Herzog & de Meuron, Duccio Grassi Architects, Claudio Silvestrin Architects, AMDL Circle, Marco Costanzi Architects, Christopher Ward Studio.
Yacademy’s placement program includes a collaboration proposal that has a minimum duration of 2 months and guaranteed remuneration consistently with regulatory requirements.
The placement for the course will be activated between June and September 2026, after a thorough process. Yacademy’s placement office will take into consideration the preferences and inclinations of the students, so as to find the best possible match.
The collaboration is an opportunity for students to perfect their skills, work and interact with some of the world’s leading firms, and have a real chance to build a solid network useful for their future.
How to Apply: Admission and Scholarships
Do you think Yacademy’s Architecture for Fashion course might be the right key to unlock your potential as a designer?
Here are some hints on the application process and requirements:
- To ensure a high level of educational experience and immediate placement of students in the most distinguished professional settings, the students will be selected by a committee comprising partners from some of the world’s top firms. The admission to the course is based on the evaluation of the curriculum vitae, a motivational letter, and a portfolio.
- The course in Architecture for Fashion is addressed to students and graduates in Architectural Sciences or other equivalent titles. The Selection Committee may however admit students with different qualifications.
- By applying for the Architecture for Fashion course, you will automatically become eligible for one of the three scholarships covering the entire enrollment fee, consistently with the Selection Committee’s evaluation.
For more information and to apply, visit Yacademy!
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