Just wondering how you feel about this winning entry in the competition for a design for a new Czech National Library - my opinion is oof... and I've been a registered architect for over 25 years.
Oh, Glenn, do you want to instigate a cruel dispute of all Czechs on this forum? :twisted: This topic is very controverse, and the debate about it is far of beeing factual. I’m opposed to it. 1) I dislike it and its location. :? (But I understand somebody could like it. 8)) 2) I’m doubtful about its functionality and expandability. :? 3) I distrust the budget. The costs are underestimated. :roll: 4) I distrust the library director’s plans with the historic building of Klementinum. 5) The competition was unfair. The winner did violate the rules and the jury was biased. :evil: 6) It’s a plagiarism. And I’m the Non-Praguer who is supposed to pay for it.
I like it as well. The building is really a bit provocative but anyway Prague changes and it is normal such a contrasts to its historical sights to be striking. The design reminds me not Futurama but rather some Barba family features
I think I would like it a whole lot more if it were a different color - maybe silver and black. I also understand that this is just a model and, as such, is lacking in textural details that will enrich the finished building. Perhaps it will end up like "Fred and Ginger" - the dancing building - disliked by many at first but now widely accepted as good, and possibly great, architecture.
There is a crucial difference between "Ginger and Fred" and the new library: The "dancing" building has a private investor and user. The Czech tax payers will :cry: . The costs will be enormous. The National Library is essentially a book depository and would have to be rather inexpensive with maximal functionality and serviceability.
Yep , the author said something along these lines. Let’s hope the final project will be better 8) (and, unlike the model in the competition, will meet the Czech technic standards :roll. At first I was in favor of this house, but now the stupid pillars in the most frequent part of the sidewalk drive me crazy. I still like its look, but from the perspective of the walkers, the house is not working. My words! 8) The library is designed by Jan Kaplický. (“Disigned”, that’s a good word, btw, better than “projected”.) The Dancing House is from Vlado Milunić and Frank O. Gehry.
I don´t like much the look of the new library, however, I find it nicer and more acceptable than the new ugly fountains, that will be built in my hometown Plzen. :roll: That´s also something "modern", but ugly as hell and absolutely awfull in the contrast to the old buildings.. geez. And I can tell you, it took two rounds of voting to get this through and many people still believe, the voting was manipulated.. :evil: The project: Expected look:
Yes, it does. Most of Czech people already started to call it like that - šibenice! It´s absolutely awfull..
I know nothing about design or engineering - perhaps Glenn could comment - but I've just been speaking to an architect who says that in her opinion, the small top of the building ie the head of the octupus, will lead to problems with the heating system and that it'll be far too hot on the top floors.
In fact, the new library has many names. On of them is also "hlen". And the gallows... are you sure it is not going to be only temporary? About four years ago, on Náměstí Jana Palacha (just in front of Rudolfinum) there was a orange/red construction (postmodern art) and THAT was really horrible...
