He stressed that it would be just an emergency solution as the historical premises in Prague's Baroque Klementinum would not suffice and the construction of a new building was remote. Jezek reacted to a long-lasting dispute about a new NK building planned on Prague's Letna plain according to the design by renowned Czech-born architect Jan Kaplicky, whose London-based Future Systems studio won the international contest for the project last year. "We just do not want to end up in a situation where we would have to limit the National Library's operation or even close it completely," Jezek said in the Questions of Vaclav Moravec TV Czech-born architect Kaplicky adapts NK design for original plot ...
Czech opposition CSSD expects no-confidence in three weeks ... debate today. If the NK received a consent with the proposal, the Hostivar depository should be completed by the beginning of 2011.
The NK would thereby have another eight years for building a new library. Jezek said previously that the Hostivar alternative would be costly and harmful for the environment and the book stock as the books would have to be further transported from there to Klementinum. Jezek, who supports Kaplicky's design, today got in a dispute with Prague Mayor Pavel Bem (senior ruling Civic Democrats, ODS) who said the project of a new library according to Kaplicky's design had turned into a "political humbug." Kaplicky's project of a nine-storey blob-building shaped as a broad pyramid with rounded edges called "octopus" has raised controversial reactions and divided the public as well as experts and politicians into its supporters and opponents. The disputes about the new NK building have continued for over one year. They concern also the building plot, a regular character of the international architectonic contest and the project funding. Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek (ODS) and Culture Minister Vaclav Jehlicka (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) said previously there was not enough money for the project in the state budget. Moreover, the project has become a subject to the election fight. Jezek, who has decided to run for the Senate for the KDU-CSL in the autumn elections, is now trying to find support for the project across the political spectrum. "What shall we do if others have politicised it? Anyway, it will be politicians who will decide on the building," he said previously , adding that it was the Civic Democrats who have politicised the case. Prague ODS councillors stood up against Kaplicky's building last autumn. President Vaclav Klaus, former ODS long-standing head and its current honorary chairman, is one of the critics of the project. Bem has now also objections to the project. KDU-CSL chairman Jiri Cunek and senior opposition Social Democrat (CSSD) head Jiri Paroubek, on the contrary, promised support for it. Another obstacle is the fact that the NK has not yet signed a contract on the purchase of the building plot, Jezek said. In early May, Jezek therefore turned to Bem in a letter, asking him for Prague to sell the municipal plot. Bem said today he had received the letter, but had not answered. He added he cannot agree with the plot's sale in the situation where it was not certain whether Kaplicky's "blob" would be built at all and the necessary finances were not secured either. Jezek said he had sent a similar letter to the Prague councillors on Friday. "The library, the blob has simply turned into political...humbug. For the moment I dare to say that this means the end of the project," Bem told CT. He said neither the ODS nor the capital of Prague had anything to do with it. The Civic Democrats want the NK to have a new building, but they proposed a more economic alternative, Bem added.
(Ceske Noviny)
more info >>
<< Back