The architect Jan Velek has died.
Prof. Ing. arch. Jan Velek, architect, gallerist, pedagogue, organizer of cultural events, and in recent years also collaborator on archaeological research, was born on May 1, 1952, in Brno.
In the 1970s, he studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology and the Studio of Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, thus continuing the family architectural tradition of his father Jiří and his grandfather Jan Antonín Velko (a student of Josip Plečnik). After graduating, Jan Velek worked briefly as an employee of the Office of the Chief Architect of the city of Brno and then began to work as an independent licensed architect. He focused on private and public commissions, renovations, new constructions, urban projects, and exhibitions. His work, including the revitalization of the Brno functionalist café Era, is characterized by sensitivity to scale, environment, and context of buildings, as well as technically considered, practical, and timeless solutions. He applied his experience and knowledge of architecture during his long-term teaching position at the Department of Urbanism at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Brno University of Technology and in preparatory courses for architecture studies at the castle in Kuřim.
In the cultural community, Jan Velek held an irreplaceable position as an initiator and organizer of post-revolutionary artistic events. In 1990, together with his wife Irena, he initiated the activity of Gallery Sýpka in Osová Bítýška near Vlkovo, in the premises of a large baroque granary which they personally reconstructed, located in the middle of fields, which soon became a significant intergenerational cultural center for visual arts and theatrical activities, as well as a vibrant place of mutual fellowship, energy, and enthusiasm of the nineties. The unique atmosphere and authenticity of the place provided a foundation for the creation of site-specific installations and artistic interventions, as well as a number of solo and group thematic exhibitions of contemporary Czech artists, including exhibitions of laureates and finalists of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award. For the rescue of the baroque granary in Osová Bítýška and the creation of a significant place dedicated to visual arts, the Velek couple was awarded the City of Brno Award in 1994.
In recent years, Jan Velek was also intensively involved in archaeological research in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at Masaryk University in Brno. He was among the initiators and collaborators of multidisciplinary teams participating in the research of archaeological sites. He initiated and supported the systematic study of gallows in Moravia and their significance as lost landmarks of medieval and early modern towns and villages.
Jan Velek was a multifaceted personality whose interests and expertise in the fields of architecture, urbanism, art, archaeology, anthropology, and other areas stemmed from a deep personal engagement where private life was inseparably intertwined with professional life. Due to his sociable and friendly nature, as well as his diligence, enthusiasm, kindness, and humility, he was a sought-after, beloved, and respected figure, whose passing is a significant loss for all who knew him personally. Jan Velek passed away on August 10, 2023, at the age of 71.
In the 1970s, he studied at the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology and the Studio of Architecture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, thus continuing the family architectural tradition of his father Jiří and his grandfather Jan Antonín Velko (a student of Josip Plečnik). After graduating, Jan Velek worked briefly as an employee of the Office of the Chief Architect of the city of Brno and then began to work as an independent licensed architect. He focused on private and public commissions, renovations, new constructions, urban projects, and exhibitions. His work, including the revitalization of the Brno functionalist café Era, is characterized by sensitivity to scale, environment, and context of buildings, as well as technically considered, practical, and timeless solutions. He applied his experience and knowledge of architecture during his long-term teaching position at the Department of Urbanism at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Brno University of Technology and in preparatory courses for architecture studies at the castle in Kuřim.
In the cultural community, Jan Velek held an irreplaceable position as an initiator and organizer of post-revolutionary artistic events. In 1990, together with his wife Irena, he initiated the activity of Gallery Sýpka in Osová Bítýška near Vlkovo, in the premises of a large baroque granary which they personally reconstructed, located in the middle of fields, which soon became a significant intergenerational cultural center for visual arts and theatrical activities, as well as a vibrant place of mutual fellowship, energy, and enthusiasm of the nineties. The unique atmosphere and authenticity of the place provided a foundation for the creation of site-specific installations and artistic interventions, as well as a number of solo and group thematic exhibitions of contemporary Czech artists, including exhibitions of laureates and finalists of the Jindřich Chalupecký Award. For the rescue of the baroque granary in Osová Bítýška and the creation of a significant place dedicated to visual arts, the Velek couple was awarded the City of Brno Award in 1994.
In recent years, Jan Velek was also intensively involved in archaeological research in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at Masaryk University in Brno. He was among the initiators and collaborators of multidisciplinary teams participating in the research of archaeological sites. He initiated and supported the systematic study of gallows in Moravia and their significance as lost landmarks of medieval and early modern towns and villages.
Jan Velek was a multifaceted personality whose interests and expertise in the fields of architecture, urbanism, art, archaeology, anthropology, and other areas stemmed from a deep personal engagement where private life was inseparably intertwined with professional life. Due to his sociable and friendly nature, as well as his diligence, enthusiasm, kindness, and humility, he was a sought-after, beloved, and respected figure, whose passing is a significant loss for all who knew him personally. Jan Velek passed away on August 10, 2023, at the age of 71.
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