Aedes Graduate Admissions Intensive

• Program Focus: Portfolio, Writing & Argument, Presentation, and Graduate School Strategy
• Teaching Team: led by Prof. Dagmar Richter (Pratt Institute) with internationally renowned tutors and guest lecturers
• Format: cohort-based format with studio production, travel, and final review

• Date: 26 July – 23 August 2026
• Place: Aedes, Christinenstr. 18–19, 10119 Berlin

• Application deadline: 24 April 2026
• Decisions by: 18 May 2026
• Application form: here

Introduction 

Every year, exceptional architecture students complete undergraduate degrees in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban studies — and arrive at a decisive moment: applying to a graduate program to deepen a specialization, gain accreditation to teach, or pursue doctoral research. For those aiming at institutions including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, Columbia, Berkeley, U Penn, ETH Zurich, and U Hong Kong, among others, admissions are competitive and the process is demanding. Portfolio, CV, letters of recommendation, and a clear statement of intent must come together as one coherent and compelling intellectual profile.

The Aedes Graduate Admissions Intensive is a four-week program in Berlin designed for ambitious international design students, who want to significantly strengthen their applications to leading graduate programs. It combines rigorous portfolio development, writing and verbal training, and graduate school strategy within a focused cohort environment featuring expert mentors, immersive travel, and high-level guest critique.

Beyond “Application Support”

The application to a leading graduate program is not an administrative exercise — it is a curated self-portrait, a position statement, and the first articulation of a research agenda. The most competitive graduate programs select applicants not only for demonstrated talent, but for the capacity to frame a design position: a coherent point of view, a set of references, and an ability to argue through both representation and language. 

The Aedes Graduate Admissions Intensive provides the structure, critical rigor, and dedicated time to develop that position – and to develop materials that meet the standards which the most selective schools demand.

Teaching Team

The Intensive was developed by Aedes in collaboration with Professor Dagmar Richter. Richter, Professor at Pratt Institute, brings extensive teaching experience, having held positions including Chair at Cornell, Assistant Professor at Harvard, Professor at UCLA, and Visiting Professor at numerous international schools, alongside teaching at RISD, Cooper Union, Columbia, and other leading international institutions.

The program is led by Dagmar Richter as Academic Program Leader, together with Aedes faculty and a curated group of international tutors spanning design, writing, theory, and presentation. Distinguished guests will contribute through lectures, reviews, workshops, and studio visits, and will include Sarah Whiting (Dean, Harvard GSD), Yung Ho Chang (Dean, U Hong Kong), Dr. Tom Avermaete (Chair, ETH Zurich), and Winka Dubbeldam (Director, SCI-Arc), among others. Studio visits include David Chipperfield Architects, Sauerbruch Hutton, Studio Olafur Eliasson, Studio Tomás Saraceno, J. MAYER H und Partner  and Barkow Leibinger in Berlin, OMA and MVRDV in Rotterdam, and Mecanoo in Delft. A full roster of faculty and guests will be announced.

Program 

The Intensive develops more than an application — it develops a professional. Alongside the four core pillars, participants engage in studio life, cultural immersion, and travel, building the networks, communication skills, and English-language confidence to engage the field at the highest level.

Portfolio: Design & Visual Narrative

Participants rework and elevate their portfolios through studio critique: sharpening project narratives, strengthening drawing and representation, and refining layout and sequence to develop work of genuine competitive standard.

Writing & Argument

Weekly writing labs build the capacity to write with clarity and conviction – manifestos, project descriptions, and application letters of interest. Structured editing and feedback cycles emphasize conceptual rigor, precision of language, and the strength of the argument. The skills developed apply equally to applications for leading international architecture offices.

Presentation & Professional Presence 

A dedicated focus on spoken English supports participants in communicating with clarity and confidence — in interviews, presentations, networking, and committee-style reviews. The program builds the skills for professional visibility and self-presentation within the field, and is designed to be equally valuable for native English speakers and those working in their second or third language.

Graduate School Strategy

Participants gain a structured overview of the global market of graduate schools and programs, including curriculum focus, academic cultures, rankings, duration, and the long-term significance of alumni networks – and develop a clear, individual strategy for where and how to apply. A dedicated focus examines how graduate programs support career pathways and how to access these opportunities strategically.

Why Aedes 

Berlin is not only a vibrant cultural center — it offers a uniquely powerful learning environment for architecture, landscape, and urban studies: a city shaped by history and reconstruction. The August program allows time in June and July to explore major architectural sites in Europe, all within easy reach of Berlin. At Aedes, participants combine intensive studio production with access to one of the most renowned institutions for architectural discourse in Europe.

Aedes brings decades of experience as an internationally connected platform for architectural education — with a track record of collaborations with leading architects, institutions, and schools across the world, including Cooper Union, the Politecnico di Milano, ETH Zurich, AA, Bartlett, Harvard GSD, Yale, Rice University, Pratt Institute, and the University at Buffalo, through master classes, summer schools, and exhibitions. This network, built over more than 45 years, is at the core of the Graduate Admissions Intensive — and directly available to its participants.

This program is grounded in Aedes’ long-term engagement with architecture education, developed through the International Architectural Education Summit (IAES) in collaboration with UCLA and Tokyo University, and the discourse of  The Metropolitan Laboratory magazine. 

All revenues generated by the Intensive, aside from fees and expenses, go directly to supporting Aedes’ non-profit public program.

Aedes – Architecture and Space is a non-profit cultural institution in Berlin. Founded in 1980, it presents a continuous public program exploring the intersections of architecture, the city and society through exhibitions, publications, events and education formats. Aedes collaborates with an international network spanning culture, academia, politics and industry.

Who Should Apply 

The Program is designed for:

• Advanced undergraduate students in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban studies
• International students preparing applications to graduate programs
• Candidates targeting top English-language graduate schools

How to Apply 

The selection is merit-based. Applications are to be submitted through this form.

Applicants must submit: 

• Portfolio (PDF, max. 10 pages, 12 MB)
• Short statement of intent (max. 500 words). Please address the following:
  • Your current academic and design interests
  • The graduate programs you are targeting and why
  • What you hope to develop or achieve through the Intensive
• Academic Transcript 
• Professional references (names, contacts, and affiliations only; no letters required)
• Application fee: €40

Application Deadline: 24 April 2026
Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by 18 May 2026.

Participation Fee  

The program fee is €16,500 per participant, covering the full four weeks. The following are included:

• Four-week tuition, mentoring, and critique – including all faculty, lectures, workshops, and guest critics
• One weekend excursion to Rotterdam and Delft
• Field trips in Berlin and to Bauhaus Dessau 
• Berlin public transport pass (AB zones) for the duration of the program 
• Lunch Mondays to Thursdays, weekly post-studio drinks on Thursdays, and the final program dinner 
• Review infrastructure and production support

Terms and Conditions

• Travel, accommodation, and insurance are the responsibility of the participant. Aedes is available to provide recommendations upon request.
• A deposit is required to confirm enrollment within two weeks of admission. Should a deposit not be received within this period, the seat will be offered to the next applicant on the waitlist.
• Core program content is guaranteed, but sessions, travel, and guest speakers may change due to unforeseen circumstances. Participants will always be informed promptly of any updates, and the program team ensures that the overall quality and experience remain consistent.
• If the minimum number of participants is not reached, Aedes reserves the right to cancel the program, in which case the applicant will be reimbursed any deposit already paid.

Contact 

intensive@aedes.global