Prague booking: Jan Kaplicky creates Prague's New Library.One might have thought that there was a certain inevitability about Jan Kaplicky/Future Systems winning the competition for the New National Library of the Czech Republic Czech Republic, Czech Česká Republika (2005 est. pop. 10,241,000), republic, 29,677 sq mi (78,864 sq km), central Europe. It is bordered by Slovakia on the east, Austria on the south, Germany on the west, and Poland on the north. in Prague. As one of the idealists who left the country after the 'Prague Spring' of 1968, heading for London and a new architectural life, Kaplicky relished the chance of returning to his home country with what will be the most significant building of his career. Moreover, it was an opportunity to revisit the building type which very nearly won Future Systems the Bibliotheque de France competition, in the end awarded to Dominique Perrault Dominique Perrault (1953, Clermont-Ferrand - ) is a French architect. He currently heads Dominique Perrault Architecte (DPA) in Paris. Built projects
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] That said, the international jury presiding over a highly successful competition (more than 400 entries) must have gasped when they saw the Kaplicky entry. The jury included Zaha Hadid Zaha Hadid (Arabic: زها حديد) CBE (born October 31, 1950, Baghdad, Iraq) is a notable Iraqi-British deconstructivist architect. Biography Born october 31 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq. , no stranger to iconic forms, but also Eva Jiricna, a fellow emigre in '68, whose cool modernism, quite different to Kaplicky's work, has been commissioned to good effect on public and private projects in Prague in recent years. In the end it seems that the views of the librarians carried much weight--and they were extremely supportive, not least because of the limited glazing, which caused such problems with the Perrault upturned table design. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For those who dislike 'blob architecture', the winning entry will be a disappointment and/or a red rag--see our coverage of the practice's Selfridges store in Birmingham (AR October 2003). But there is nothing unconsidered un·con·sid·ered adj. Not reasoned or considered; rash: an unconsidered remark. Adj. 1. unconsidered about the architectural proposition, any more than in the equally 'shocking' Graz arts building by Peter Cook and Colin Fournier Colin Fournier, co-architect with Peter Cook of the Kunsthaus Graz, current professor of The Bartlett School of Architecture, a part of University College London. (AR March 2004). The Kaplicky design represents an evolution from the competition entry for an office building on Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square, in Westminster, London, England, named for Lord Nelson's victory at the battle of Trafalgar. The statue surmounting the Nelson memorial column (185 ft/56 m high) was sculpted (1840–43) by E. H. Baily. , London in the mid-'80s, and was partly represented by the Stirling Prize-winning design for the Media Centre at Lord's cricket ground Lord's Ground is a cricket ground in St John's Wood in London, at grid reference TQ268827. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the European in the early '90s, shades of Noun 1. shades of - something that reminds you of someone or something; "aren't there shades of 1948 here?" reminder - an experience that causes you to remember something which are evident in the top level viewing gallery in the library design. (Precedent drawings and inspirational sources for Kaplicky are nicely presented in two recent books, Sketches, published by Alba Press, and Czech Inspiration by Fraktaly Publishers and Zlaty Rez.) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Overlooking the city like an intellectuals' version of Prague Castle, the library is the result of an anonymous international open competition. These only work well given true client commitment, and it must be said that the Czech client has been exemplary, with proper prize money and excellent organisation. The result can scarcely be regarded as a home town decision; more like the Prodigal PRODIGAL, civil law, persons. Prodigals were persons who, though of full age, were incapable of managing their affairs, and of the obligations which attended them, in consequence of their bad conduct, and for whom a curator was therefore appointed. 2. returning. P. F. |
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