10 years ago, the visionary Jan Kaplický passed away

Prague - Architect Jan Kaplický became famous for designs that are unmistakable and controversial. They often reflected his inspiration from high-tech architecture and various shapes in nature. Kaplický, who lived in Britain for many years, realized his most famous buildings there. Unfortunately, he did not get the opportunity to fully showcase his talent in his homeland. He died suddenly ten years ago, on January 14, 2009, in Prague, coincidentally on the day his daughter was born. He was 71 years old.

Kaplický's name is especially associated in the Czech Republic with the project of the new National Library in Letná, nicknamed the octopus or blob. The Future Systems studio won a competition in 2007 with a design that sparked conflicting reactions among both laypeople and professionals. For the architect, the competition was a strong motivation and challenge. Although Kaplický had participated in several competitions in the Czech Republic, he had not yet been successful and made it clear how hard it was for him. He said he would like to at least design a bench or a trash can.

However, as it turned out, no one is a prophet in their own land. The Czech Chamber of Architects questioned the course of the competition, and the matter took on a political dimension - the then-President Václav Klaus criticized the design, and subsequently, the Prague politicians led by Mayor Pavel Bém turned away from the library. In the end, the project was set aside. Kaplický fought, but he was disillusioned by the aftermath of the case, and his death was a sad epilogue to this ambitious building.

Whether any of his buildings will ever be constructed in the Czech Republic is unclear. The concert and congress center for České Budějovice, which commissioned him and ultimately backed away from the construction, was the closest to realization. The project, nicknamed the ray, even received a building permit. Later, there was also consideration that it could be built in Prague's Štvanice. Architect Eva Jiřičná said in 2017 for ČTK that building a structure based on the plans of the now-deceased architect is not impossible, but very complicated.

It was known that Kaplický did not compromise and did not deviate from his principles. Two of his buildings were mentioned by The Independent among the most significant modern buildings. In addition to the Selfridges department store in Birmingham, a kind of shiny "armadillo" made of 20,000 aluminum discs, there was also a journalist's stand at London's Lord’s cricket stadium, resembling the head of a periscope. For this, the Future Systems studio was awarded the prestigious Stirling Prize (1999).

"You cannot stop time and create artificial museums, defend horse-drawn carriages or buses that pollute the air indefinitely," claimed Kaplický. Among his other notable projects are a floating bridge in the London district of Canary Wharf, the Enzo Ferrari museum in Modena, Italy, a kindergarten resembling a shell, a tourist center at Stonehenge, or an "invisible" house in Wales. The latter is embedded in a cliff above the sea and only protrudes with its glass facade.

When Kaplický established himself in London, he founded the design office Future Systems in 1979. At that time, it became the only British company that also worked for the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). This "space" experience is clearly reflected in the studio's designs. Future Systems also produced designs for lamps, furniture, glass, and cutlery. Kaplický worked here for years with his first wife, British architect Amanda Levete, with whom he had a son, Josef.

He was born on April 18, 1937, into an artistic family in Prague. His father was a painter and sculptor, and his mother was an illustrator. He studied at the AA School of Fine Arts, briefly worked as a freelancer. Before emigrating in 1968, he left his mark in the Czech Republic. Kaplický's name is associated with a house in Braník and a ramp to the villa of screenwriter Jaroslav Dietl. Before making a name for himself in Britain, he collaborated with renowned architects such as Norman Foster, Richard Rogers, and Renzo Piano.

Kaplický remarried in 2007. He married filmmaker Eliška Kaplicky Fuchs, who is 41 years younger. Their daughter Johanka was born just hours before her father's death. In the past, Kaplický also lived with architect Eva Jiřičná.

In the Czech Republic, several books have been published about him: a confession about life and opinions titled Album or a collection of sketches called Sketches. A documentary film titled Profile was also made about Kaplický. In 2017, a commemorative plaque was unveiled to the architect in Prague on Československé armády street, on the building where he passed away ten years ago.