Local Christian Democrats back doomed Blob

Members of the Christian Democratic Party in Prague have called on Culture Minister Václav Jehlička and Mayor Pavel Bém to reconsider a proposal for the new national library. Earlier in the week, the culture minister made clear a proposal designed by Czech-born architect Jan Kaplický, which has been the source of a split among Prague politicians – would not be built. The ultra-modern design, nicknamed the Blob or the Octopus, was to have stood on Prague’s Letná Plain. But disputes over city land, as well as problems over funding, ground the project to a halt. The head of the National Library, Vlastimil Ježek, has said he may file criminal charges over the dispute.

Author: Jan Velinger