Internships

Renzo Piano conceived the idea of hosting university students in his office in 1992, inspired by the memory of his late brother, Ermanno. Agreements with Rice University in Houston (1992), the University of Brasília (1999), and Harvard University (2001) facilitated the arrival of the first students.

In 2004, the establishment of the Renzo Piano Foundation further formalized this initiative, making the promotion of internships at the RPBW offices in Genoa and Paris one of its core activities. The program aims to provide hands-on training experiences for students and recent architecture graduates.

During their six-month internship, students work as integral members of the architectural teams, actively participating in all project phases, from design to construction. This "learning by doing" approach bridges the gap between academic studies and professional practice.

Interns also have the opportunity to visit the Foundation’s headquarters and archives and inspect an active construction site under the guidance of an RPBW architect. In Genoa, students are accommodated in the Foundation's apartments, while in Paris, they receive assistance in finding housing within the city.