In the place of Jan Kaplický's death, a memorial plaque will be unveiled today

Prague - A memorial plaque will be unveiled today in Prague 6 for the architect Jan Kaplický, who would have turned 80 years old today. However, he passed away suddenly in January 2009. The memorial plaque will be unveiled on the building on Československé armády street, where the architect died.

Today's ceremony will be attended by the Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Jan Thompson, and Kaplický's widow, Eliška Kaplický Fuchsová. On the day of Kaplický's death, their daughter Johanka was born. Kaplický's firstborn son, Josef, shares the same birthday as his father and will turn 22 years old.

The architect Jan Kaplický gained greater recognition in his homeland after winning an international competition for a new building for the National Library, when he was already 70 years old. Following the intervention of then-President Václav Klaus, politicians began to discuss the design of the library, which was meant to be built according to Kaplický's progressive and highly unconventional proposal, and the entire project for the new building ultimately failed; the library decided to address its long-term space issues through the renovation of its current facilities.

Nevertheless, Kaplický believed until the end of his life that the library would be built. "This is perhaps the most significant moment in my life. ... It is an incredible honor to achieve something like this here," said the visibly moved architect, who had been working in Britain since the late 60s, when he was introduced in Prague as the winner of the competition. The disputes, debates, as well as numerous attacks against his work and person, along with the constant explanations and defenses of the project, took a significant toll on Kaplický. There is only speculation about whether these contributed to his sudden death.

It is unclear whether any new buildings by Kaplický will rise in the Czech Republic. The concert hall for České Budějovice, which had commissioned it, ultimately decided against the construction, making it the closest to realization. It even obtained a building permit. "I would very much wish for some of his buildings to be constructed, but it is very complicated to address a building after the death of the person who designed it," said architect Eva Jiřičná, who continued the preparations for the building after Kaplický's death. "I don't know; miracles happen, but not very often," she added.