Prague City Hall wants to build Blob

Prague City Hall has unexpectedly expressed interest in renewing talks on a new National Library building according to a controversial design by the late Czech-born, London-based architect Jan Kaplický. Mr Kaplický's avant-garde design, nicknamed the Blob, divided public opinion and plans to build it on Letná Plain were scuppered by city councillors last year. According to the daily Mladá fronta Dnes, city hall officials have now approached Kaplický’s widow with a new proposal, suggesting the Blob could be built on Letná at the site of a former giant statue of Stalin, which was pulled down in the early 1960s. Mrs. Kaplický is reportedly willing to cooperate. The paper attributes Prague City Halls’ u-turn in the matter to the upcoming local elections.