PRAGUE (AFP) — Czech-born architect Jan Kaplicky died at age 71 in Prague Wednesday evening, only hours after his wife gave birth to a daughter, the CTK news agency said.
The author of the controversial National Library project for Prague, which caused uproar with its octopus-like shape and divided Prague residents as well as Czech politicians, collapsed on a street and died despite resuscitation.
Born on April 18, 1937, Kaplicky left his homeland in 1968, and settled in Britain, where he cooperated with renowned architects including Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano before founding the Future Systems studio in London.
Working with unusual materials and highlighting natural energy and light, Kaplicky designed the aluminium Selfridges store in Birmingham, Britain, the Stonehenge tourist centre, the Maserati museum in Modena, Italy, and the "floating" bridge linking Canary Wharf and West India Quay in London.
Kaplicky's second wife Eliska gave birth to daughter Johana on Wednesday afternoon, CTK said. Kaplicky also had a son, Josef, from the first marriage with British architect Amanda Levete.
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