Narrow-minded conservatives in Prague despise it, but Kaplický’s National Library design is one of wonder, beauty and daring.
It recalls the curvaceous streamlined structure of his media centre at Lord’s cricket ground in London, albeit on a far grander scale.
Although the library won an international design competition in 2007, building has been blocked. And public debate in Prague has raged ever since. The library even has its own nickname: the ‘octopus’.
Based in London since he emigrated from communist Prague in 1968, Kaplický realised many adventurous and uplifting projects around the world with his group Future Systems.
The National Library was to be his first building in his homeland, and the pinnacle of his architectural career.
He died this week aged only 71. It is a great shame that he did not live to see his library built. Let us hope that we are more fortunate, even though the signs are not promising.
GALLERY
It recalls the curvaceous streamlined structure of his media centre at Lord’s cricket ground in London, albeit on a far grander scale.
Although the library won an international design competition in 2007, building has been blocked. And public debate in Prague has raged ever since. The library even has its own nickname: the ‘octopus’.
Based in London since he emigrated from communist Prague in 1968, Kaplický realised many adventurous and uplifting projects around the world with his group Future Systems.
The National Library was to be his first building in his homeland, and the pinnacle of his architectural career.
He died this week aged only 71. It is a great shame that he did not live to see his library built. Let us hope that we are more fortunate, even though the signs are not promising.
GALLERY
Kaplický's 'stand' at Lords gives the Home of Cricket a moving with the times, even futuristic, feel. The photo you show of his efforts in Prague look less convincing. Maybe the Czechs should blow it up and construct a normal building; at least Kaplický would be in the dark about it.
ReplyDeleteI actually think that the Czechs call it "blob" - and it somehow fits better than "octopus".
ReplyDeleteI like the project very much. There will be a demonstration in Prague on the 5th of February to revive the plans for building it. Let's see about the outcome but I doubt this can convince the politicians.
Architecture has its place. A fine piece of architecture this may be. However, the location it was proposed for is the problem here. Prague is a city with an intact historic centre, like Venice or Florence, and it was going to dominate the Letná plain behind Prague Castle, @ 160 feet high? And, for a library, public transport access would have been poor, no metro... Get real.
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