Is this Architecture?

If you ask me, Jan Kaplicky of Future Systems architecture has lost his mind. Sadly, this project actually won the contest for a new National Library here in Prague. I'm hard pressed think of a single solution less respectful to the character and form of the city. This is almost as ridiculous as the scene in the movie "Running with Scissors" where the father insists his bowel movement is a worthy subject for an altar to God.



It seems to me as if a massive pile of Gak just fell from the sky on to the model, and Kaplicky said 'DONE'. Unfortunately, it did not work out so well for him as it did for Gehry and the Chiat/Day building. Ghery allegedly chanced to set a pair of binoculars on the model and the client fell in love with it.



In many respects I can see Kaplicky trying to take Gehry's organic style one step further, but I question if that step is in the right direction. I also find much of Gehry's work unable to justify the costs associated with the form, often a form that does not perform.



I guess for me the big difference is I find Gehry's sense of form beautiful (see above), while I find Kaplicky's, at least in this case, clumsy and abrasive. I sincerely hope UNESCO does not go through with his submittal.