Jan Kaplicky, Czech architect, dies at 71

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Jan Kaplicky, the Czech-born architect who founded the firm Future Systems in London nearly three decades ago, has died at age 71 after collapsing on a Prague sidewalk. His designs (including the Selfridge’s department store in Birmingham, England, above) were eternally innovative and typically controversial -- none more so than his proposed National Library for Prague, which was savaged by critics and politicians alike. Up until his death he was battling to get the library built.

Obituaries and reminiscences of Kaplicky are here, here, here and here.

The Future Systems website, full of renderings of the Prague library design in all its Day-Glo glory, is here.

And images of some of Future Systems’ completed projects are after the jump.

-- Christopher Hawthorne

Richard Davies.

A Selfridge’s detail. Credit: Flickr user dearbarbie

New press box for the Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. Credit: Flickr user markhillary

Oxford Street facade, London. Credit: Flickr user stevecadman