Lenka Petrakova
Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects
PhD., MSc, March, Ing.arch., Bc. (Civil Engineering), Bc. (Architecture and Urban Design) ARB, RIBA, AA
I have worked internationally in New York, London, Vienna, and Bratislava. I had exposure to international cooperation, not just within the office environment but on projects in China, Europe, and America, with teams of consultants
from various countries. Since May 2017, I have worked at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) in London, where I am an Associate.
from various countries. Since May 2017, I have worked at Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) in London, where I am an Associate.
I worked on over 40 projects in 10 countries during my career, and I spent most of my time working in high-rise building design. I am fascinated by high-rise buildings and understand their consequences, not just at the urban scale but the human emotional response. To have the chance to undertake many high-rise projects in an international context is a privilege.
I began my architectural studies at the Slovak University of Technology, where I completed bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and in architecture and urban planning. That dual foundation gave me a rigorous technical grounding and an early confidence in navigating code and performance requirements. In 2013, I received ABF Slovakia BAKALÁR, the national award for the best thesis project, for my proposal for a mixed use building in Ružinov, Bratislava. I later pursued a Master of Architecture in Hani Rashid Studio at the University of Applied Arts and completed my Ing. arch (Architectural Engineer) in Architecture and Urban Design at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava. During this period, exchange programmes at TU Vienna and SCI Arc in Los Angeles expanded my interest in robotics and rapid prototyping, reinforcing a practice that connects experimental design methods with the practical realities of delivery.
Seeing first hand how often the ambitions of architecture are constrained by procurement, regulation, and wider political priorities shaped the direction of my education. I believe architecture can open up discussion and propose systematic solutions, yet delivering meaningful change, particularly on environmental performance, frequently requires parallel societal and legal shifts. This realisation led me to complement my design training with Construction Law, so I could better understand the governance, obligations, and decision making structures that determine whether low carbon and socially responsible outcomes are genuinely implemented. This focus was recognised at King’s College London, where I was awarded the Society of Construction Law Prize for the best overall graduate of 2024/25 and the Society of Construction Law Prize for the best dissertation for my dissertation, Concrete Commitments: Legalising Environmental Rights to Decarbonise the UK Built Environment.
My personal and academic work has been exhibited internationally in Dubai (2020 Dubai Expo), Venice (Venice Biennale), Vienna, Zlín, Bratislava, and Beijing among others. I have received numerous awards, including the 2020 GRAND PRIX AWARD for Architecture and Innovation of the Sea from Foundation Jacques Rougerie Génération Espace Mer - Institut de France.
"Architecture has the power to open up a discussion, create a platform and bring a systematic solution."
Thank you!