The winning design of the National Library in Prague amazes
The extraordinary design of the new building of National Library in Prague, that comes from Jan Kaplicky and his studio Future Systems, is considered to be one of the most original designs nowadays. Prague may join other metropolises that are decorated with modern designs of famous architects.
Some people compare the design to a purple octopus. The new building will have 9 floors, but the biggest part, the storage space, will be under the ground. It will able to contain more than 10 million books. The construction of the new building will start in 2009, the estimated costs are 2 billion Czech crowns.
The studio of Jan Kaplicky will get 160,000 euros for the winning design. Jan Kaplicky said that he wants to develop a special floor decking so that no steps could be heard. Click here if you are interested to see more pictures of the winning project.
Theme: Blob Library
- Paroubek's wife Prepares National collection for Blob [June 5 2008, 15:45 PM]
- Cunek looking for a billion for Blob [May 28 2008, 11:49 AM]
- Jezek to Bem: Solve the Blob matter Already [May 20 2008, 09:55 AM]
- The Blob Library has many foundation stones already. [May 16 2008, 11:54 AM]
- The authors of Congress Centre don't like Knizak's idea [May 6 2008, 11:45 AM]
- Kaplicky Adjusted Blob Size [April 30 2008, 11:55 AM]
- The Blob story goes on and on [April 28 2008, 14:02 PM]
- Politician should say: We simply don't want Blob [April 24 2008, 16:15 PM]
- Czech Republic in search of Blob-Hammer [April 15 2008, 09:46 AM]
- Kaplicky: If there won't be a decision about Blob, I quit [February 28 2008, 09:55 AM]
- Jan Kaplicky to Build an Enviromental Building in Brno? [February 21 2008, 11:28 AM]
- Musicians Support Jan Kaplicky [February 18 2008, 09:45 AM]
- Union of Architects : Blob won according to the law. [January 31 2008, 09:55 AM]
- Decision about Prague Blob takes time. Why? [January 18 2008, 14:52 PM]
- Winning of Blob Doubted [January 10 2008, 12:05 PM]
- New Pictures of Blob – The National Library [December 5 2007, 15:52 PM]
- Blob - No way smaller or moved said Kapilcky [November 30 2007, 09:45 AM]
- The Experts want new Pictures of the Blob [November 22 2007, 11:02 AM]
- First debates of National Library Commission [October 29 2007, 10:58 AM]
- New 'National library team' committee should decide the fate of National Library in Prague [October 26 2007, 16:00 PM]
- What is Blob? Why is it called so? [October 24 2007, 16:06 PM]
- President Vaclav Klaus' essay on Kaplicky's Blob library [October 22 2007, 15:47 PM]
- Blob, New National Library Discusion [October 19 2007, 17:39 PM]
- Vaclav Havel stands for Kaplicky's National Library [October 19 2007, 11:55 AM]
- Battles of Prague Letna Constructions [October 15 2007, 10:02 AM]
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My own visit to Prague in December several years ago is the nearest thing I’ve experienced to walking through a fairy tale – a truly wonderful experience which I relate to anyone in the UK looking for city break inspiration. So I’d desperately hoped the article I’d read in the UK’s Daily Telegraph on 31st March 2007 regarding the proposed library design would turn out to be an early April Fools joke. However, having just discovered it wasn’t I can hardly believe it. Such futuristic buildings have their place, e.g. Shanghai or Dubai etc. – but I can’t think of anywhere in the entire world less appropriate to position such a building as Prague. I wonder if the people of Prague are familiar with the phrase ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ – as I feel sure the lure of Prague to its thousands of tourists each year has everything to do with the unspoilt architechure of the past and absolutely nothing to do with futuristic building designs of the future. I’m finding it difficult to think of a more inappropriate planning decision of the last century, and that’s saying something!