105 years of FA BUT: Architecture with tradition for a sustainable future

In addition to BUT and the Faculty of Civil Engineering, which are celebrating 125th anniversary this year, the Faculty of Architecture of the Brno University of Technology (FA BUT) also celebrates a significant anniversary – it is exactly 105 years old today. Founded on November 5, 1919, the faculty has become one of the most important institutions for architectural education in the Czech Republic. Today, FA BUT successfully combines art with modern technologies and continues the tradition of creative excellence.

Studio of the Fundamentals of Architectural Creation with Prof. Kurial (1967). | Autor: BUT archive

History and formation of the faculty

The faculty was established in the period following the creation of Czechoslovakia when long-standing efforts were made to establish a department of architecture and civil engineering at the Czech Technical University in Brno. The first dean was architect Karel Hugo Kepka. In the early years, the faculty was shaped by prominent educators such as Emil Králík, Bohuslav Fuchs, Bedřich Rozehnal, and in the post-revolution period, Miroslav Masák. Despite facing difficult conditions, the faculty became a center of Czech progressive avant-garde during the interwar period, and from here emerged a generation of outstanding architects, including Viktor Rudiš, Růžena Žertová, and Otakar Diblík.

During the difficult times of Nazi occupation, many teachers and students engaged in resistance, with some sacrificing their lives. After the war, the faculty underwent renewal with many significant architects at its helm. In 1976, it became independent from the Faculty of Civil Engineering and continued its development under deans such as František Bartek and, after 1989, Ivan Ruller.

A caricature of the FA faculty from the 1930s. | Autor: BUT archive

Innovation and social responsibility

Today, the Faculty of Architecture successfully merges tradition with modern technologies. Students design buildings using 3D printing, virtual reality, and other innovative methods, while also considering aesthetics, art, and the social impact of their creations in the use of cutting-edge technologies.

Among the projects with a social dimension, one can mention, for example, the vision of sustainable cities BIOM, the sustainable cemeteries project by Blanka Solár, or the exhibition CZ2: Vision for the Future of the Czech Republic, in which FA BUT participated along with four other universities from the Czech Republic and abroad. The faculty also created a design for a polar station in Antarctica, where construction materials degrade quickly, making the right choice crucial for architects. This year, a joint international workshop Housing+ was successfully organized in collaboration with the prestigious London AA School and Prague's Archip, focusing on the southern part of Brno. This format of collaboration will continue in 2025.

During the summer, the faculty regularly dedicates itself to prospective students and the public by organizing architectural courses that teach participants how to realize their own ideas and explore different types of materials. This year, participants worked on a theme related to the former castle park and the surroundings of the vanished village of Pelhřimovy.

The aim of the project Vector of Poverty is to find architectural approaches to solving pressing social issues. | Autor: Archiv Blanky Solár

New challenges and initiatives

By the end of this year, FA BUT plans to launch the Universal Architectural Manual project, which aims to umbrella and interconnect existing architectural manuals (Brno, Plzeň, Zlín, Litomyšl, Prague…) and simultaneously allow further development of this method of presenting architectural heritage in the Czech Republic and abroad.

In March 2025, an exhibition called “Vector of Poverty” will take place in collaboration with the House of Art of the City of Brno, showcasing a multi-semester assignment aimed at finding architectural approaches to address pressing social issues.

The faculty will also participate in the celebrations of the 130th anniversary of the birth of Bohuslav Fuchs. Next year, it will create a multi-meter pneumatic sculpture of him, which will gradually appear in front of several buildings designed by this significant architect to highlight how fundamentally he contributed to the transformation of modern Brno.

The Faculty of Architecture at BUT continues to maintain its position as a leader in architectural education and artistic creation. We wish all the best for the 105th anniversary and look forward to more successes.