How tragic that architect Jan Kaplický should die on the streets of Prague within hours of the birth of his daughter. And within a few years of what would have been, and hopefully still will be, his greatest architectural achievement, the new national library in Prague. The project, which has yet to begin construction, is typical of the architect – radical, exciting and far enough ahead of its time to provoke a fair degree of controversy. It represents a triumphant return to his homeland for the Czech-born émigré, a vindication of his uncompromisingly forward-looking philosophy and a tragically poetic ending to his remarkable career… www.guardian.co.uk
