An interview with Isabel Hernandez Destajo - Intern at our Prague Studio

Architecture student Isabel Hernandez Destajo came to Prague looking for international experience and an opportunity to broaden her perspective on architecture at different scales. During her two-month internship at Chapman Taylor’s Prague studio, she contributed to a major residential project in Baku while discovering new approaches to architecture and urban living. The experience made her more adaptable and open-minded – and inspired her to further explore how ecosystem-based resilience and strategic land-use reprogramming can create healthier relationships between people and their environment.

You recently completed your internship at our Prague studio. What brought you to us?

I first discovered the studio when I joined ECCEDU (European Centre for Career Education) and started looking for an international internship opportunity where I could experience both architecture and life in a completely different environmental and cultural context.

I have always been interested in specialising more deeply in urban design, but what encouraged me to take the opportunity and apply to Chapman Taylor was the diversity of the studio itself and the projects it works on. I found it exciting that the studio works across different sectors and scales of architecture, and I thought it would be a great environment in which I could continuously learn from different perspectives and areas of the profession.

As someone still at an early stage in my career, I simply want to put myself in an environment where I can experience and learn as much as possible.

How was the whole experience here for you personally?

It was truly meaningful for me, both professionally and personally. I feel very honoured that I was trusted with real project work and given the opportunity to contribute ideas, have discussions with the architects and learn directly from their knowledge and experience.

One example was when I helped with the massing concept for a residential project in Baku, Azerbaijan – Botanica Residence. While developing the different design options, I also had to understand the local context, constraints and regulations that could affect the design decisions. The lead architect for the project, Adriaan de Kroon, was very supportive in helping me understand these considerations and guiding me through the process.

Did your time here change the way you see Prague?

Absolutely. I was very curious to learn about how architecture works here in Prague. I found myself asking questions about even simple things, such as the pavement design and why certain things are designed the way they are, while also sharing how these things are approached in the Philippines.

Everything is very different from what I have known throughout my life in the Philippines. But as I became more familiar with Prague, I started appreciating the city more and more.

What did you appreciate most about the city?

For example, it’s so nice to see how the city is genuinely designed for people. There is a sense of safety as a pedestrian, many public spaces where people can spend time, and it is very easy to get from point A to point B using public transport.

I also deeply appreciate how historical landmarks are cared for. By preserving these places, the city is also preserving its identity, culture and history.

And, of course, I cannot leave without mentioning Czech food – I just loved smažený sýr! It is definitely something I will miss when I leave (laughs).

What’s next for you?

Moving forward, I hope to complete my Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and continue gaining professional experience through apprenticeships as I prepare for the Architecture Licensure Examination (ALE) in the Philippines.

I am also currently preparing my research paper on a GIS-based Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) framework for typhoon-induced flood risk assessment in Sorsogon, Philippines, which I hope to present at a conference and eventually publish in a Scopus-indexed journal.

That sounds interesting – could you tell us a bit more?

I explored a different way of identifying areas that are at high risk of flooding by integrating numerical weightings for environmental, socioeconomic and geographical parameters within GIS to enable spatial delineation.

My study challenged the conventional role of architecture as merely a response to existing land-use frameworks by proposing that architecture can become an instrument for questioning, restructuring and transforming future development trajectories in climate-vulnerable landscapes.

Rather than adapting buildings to increasingly unsafe conditions, it explores how design can proactively reshape relationships between people and the environment through ecosystem-based resilience and strategic land-use reprogramming.

Looking back, would you recommend an internship like this at the studio to others?

Definitely. This kind of experience is something I would highly recommend, especially to someone who wants to make a significant change and experience something different.

In just two months, I felt that I changed so much, and I would say that it has been a very positive change. Beyond the professional knowledge and skills I gained, I became more independent, adaptable and open-minded.

It taught me the value of stepping outside my comfort zone and embracing unfamiliar environments, because those experiences are often where the most meaningful growth happens.

If you found Isabel’s experience interesting and would like to join our Prague studio as an intern, please contact our Office Manager, Petra Frankotova, at pfrankotova@chapmantaylor.com.