Marek Jan Štěpán. SAKRAL (1991–2021) - invitation to the book launch
30 years of sacred architecture by Marek Štěpán
Publishing House VUTIUM cordially invites you to the book launch of Marek Jan Štěpán. SACRAL (1991–2021). The event will take place on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the Museum of Applied Arts at Husova 14 in Brno.
After the presentation of the publication and the actual baptism, the event will move to the atrium of the gallery under Mrak, where there will be a music and light show before returning under the roof of the gallery. You will be able to purchase the book, have it signed, and enjoy a buffet while listening to poetry. You might even be in for a surprise.
The publishing house VUTIUM is releasing the publication Marek Jan Štěpán. SACRAL (1991–2021), presenting the sacred buildings of Marek Štěpán from the past thirty years. Although the architect's portfolio is much more diverse, he is predominantly perceived by the public as an architect of churches. For his buildings and reconstructions of churches, he has received numerous accolades, including international recognition.
The richly illustrated publication documents twelve sacred buildings and reconstructions created between 1991 and 2021. The time frame is defined by the church at Lesná in Brno, which the book begins and ends with. In 1991, Marek Štěpán won a competition for a spiritual and pastoral center for the Lesná housing estate with his diploma thesis, but the project did not materialize at that time. His second project was realized, leading to the creation of the current church dedicated to the Blessed Mary Restituta.
Marek Štěpán studied the field of new forms in historical environments and the theory of architecture at the Faculty of Architecture of VUT from 1985 to 1991. As historian and architectural theorist Vladimír Šlapeta mentions in the introduction to the book, he was lucky to be guided by the educator Jaroslav Drápal in the early years of his studies, who opened doors for him to thoughts on spatial structures and their significance for sacred architecture. After founding his own architectural studio, Štěpán found the focus of his work precisely in an area that was losing significance in the pragmatically oriented 20th century. Marek Štěpán’s lifelong creative effort demonstrates that a return to sacred architecture – the construction of a temple – can be the highest artistic mission.
The retrospective of Marek Štěpán's sacred work showcases not only completed buildings but also unrealized projects and visions, typological variations of liturgical space with numerous personal and historical examples. It also features several hand-drawn sketches that will reveal to readers the architectural thinking methods of a creative artist in today's over-technologized digital age. From this perspective, the publication is also important for the education of the next generation of architects, whom Marek Štěpán teaches at his alma mater.
After the presentation of the publication and the actual baptism, the event will move to the atrium of the gallery under Mrak, where there will be a music and light show before returning under the roof of the gallery. You will be able to purchase the book, have it signed, and enjoy a buffet while listening to poetry. You might even be in for a surprise.
The publishing house VUTIUM is releasing the publication Marek Jan Štěpán. SACRAL (1991–2021), presenting the sacred buildings of Marek Štěpán from the past thirty years. Although the architect's portfolio is much more diverse, he is predominantly perceived by the public as an architect of churches. For his buildings and reconstructions of churches, he has received numerous accolades, including international recognition.
The richly illustrated publication documents twelve sacred buildings and reconstructions created between 1991 and 2021. The time frame is defined by the church at Lesná in Brno, which the book begins and ends with. In 1991, Marek Štěpán won a competition for a spiritual and pastoral center for the Lesná housing estate with his diploma thesis, but the project did not materialize at that time. His second project was realized, leading to the creation of the current church dedicated to the Blessed Mary Restituta.
Marek Štěpán studied the field of new forms in historical environments and the theory of architecture at the Faculty of Architecture of VUT from 1985 to 1991. As historian and architectural theorist Vladimír Šlapeta mentions in the introduction to the book, he was lucky to be guided by the educator Jaroslav Drápal in the early years of his studies, who opened doors for him to thoughts on spatial structures and their significance for sacred architecture. After founding his own architectural studio, Štěpán found the focus of his work precisely in an area that was losing significance in the pragmatically oriented 20th century. Marek Štěpán’s lifelong creative effort demonstrates that a return to sacred architecture – the construction of a temple – can be the highest artistic mission.
The retrospective of Marek Štěpán's sacred work showcases not only completed buildings but also unrealized projects and visions, typological variations of liturgical space with numerous personal and historical examples. It also features several hand-drawn sketches that will reveal to readers the architectural thinking methods of a creative artist in today's over-technologized digital age. From this perspective, the publication is also important for the education of the next generation of architects, whom Marek Štěpán teaches at his alma mater.
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