Architect Jan Štípek has died

On Thursday, May 24, 2012, in the morning hours, architect and university educator Doc. Ing. arch. Jan Štípek (*12. 8. 1941) passed away. He significantly contributed to the establishment of the Czech Chamber of Architects in 1992, was its first chairman, and served in this position intermittently for 10 years. In the textbooks on Czech architecture, we find his administrative building for Průmstav (now Qubix) from 1976 located on Štětkova Street in Prague 4, whose reconstruction was completed this year.
     Docent Štípek graduated from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU in 1965, then joined the Pragounion Project Service, and was a founding member of the Architects' Cooperative A13. Until 1990, he worked at Pragoprojekt Prague as the chief architect of the institute. Since the early 1990s, in addition to designing, he also focused on teaching. Until 2008, he led the Department of Building Science at the Faculty of Architecture of CTU in Prague.
     He was intensively involved in the cultivation of the architecture profession. He was one of the founders of the Czech Chamber of Architects in 1992 and was elected its first chairman the following year. From 1993 to 2007, he was intermittently a member of the board of directors of the ČKA. His high moral qualities and general respect are evidenced by the fact that he was elected chairman of this professional organization ten times. He initiated active collaboration with professional institutions and organizations and was a member of numerous juries and commissions. He received many significant awards, including the title Personality of Construction 2011, awarded by the SIA-Construction Council for contributions to the field of construction, and this year he received the ČKAIT medal.
     Jan Štípek developed dozens of studies, designs, and projects; among the completed buildings, let us mention at least the pavilion of Czechoslovak construction in Moscow from 1973 (designed with architect Šafr, Ing. Witzany, and Prof. Janů in 1973), the reconstruction of the Union Hotel in Prague 4 (with architect Jeníček in 1992), or the Tranzit Hotel near Prague-Ruzyně Airport from 2005. This year, the reconstruction of his most famous building - the administrative building on Štětkova Street in Prague, which he designed for Průmstav in 1976, was completed. Additionally, the Institute of Art and Design at the University of West Bohemia in Plzeň is being completed according to his design.