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Jan Kaplický
Jan Kaplický
Jan Kaplický
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Jan Kaplický (/ˈjæn ˈkæplɪtski/; Czech: [ˈjan ˈkaplɪtskiː]; 18 April 1937 – 14 January 2009) was a Neofuturistic[1][2] Czech architect who spent a significant part of his life in the United Kingdom. He was the leading architect behind the innovative design office, Future Systems. He was best known for the neofuturistic Selfridges Building in Birmingham, England, and the Media Centre at Lord's Cricket Ground in London.

Key Information

Childhood and early life

[edit]

Jan Kaplický, the only child of a sculptor and a botanical illustrator,[3] was born on 18 April 1937 in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and grew up in a suburb of Prague called Ořechovka.[4]

Between 1956 and 1962, Kaplický studied at the College of Applied Arts and Architecture and Design (VSUP) in Prague, receiving a Diploma in Architecture. He worked in private practice in Czechoslovakia between 1964 and 1968.[5][6] In the wake of the Prague Spring, the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia, he escaped to London in September 1968 with fellow architect Jaroslav Vokoun carrying only US$100 and a few pairs of socks.[7] In 1969 in London, he met Eva Jiřičná again, whom he had known in Prague and became his girlfriend.

Career

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Early career

[edit]

In England, Kaplický first worked for Denys Lasdun and Partners (1969–1971), then obtained employment with the office of Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers (1971–1973), where he worked on DRU extension at Aybrook Street, London and later helping to develop the design for the Centre Georges Pompidou (constructed 1971–1977) in Paris by joining the team of more than 30 strong.[8] When the practice relocated to Paris, he was unable to follow as at that time he still did not have a British passport. After working with Jiřičná, and a short spell at Spencer and Webster, Associates (1974–1975), he joined Foster Associates, now Foster and Partners (1979–1983).[3][5]

In 1979, Kaplický set up his own architectural think tank called Future Systems with David Nixon,[9] and began to develop an architectural style that combined organic forms with high tech futurism. Among the drawings he made were structures orbiting the Earth built by robots, weekend houses resembling survival capsules that could be transported by helicopter, and home interiors that could be manipulated. In the 1980s his design for the Grand Buildings in Trafalgar Square, London, was a free-form monocoque structure pierced by portholes; it lost to a more conventional reconstruction of an Edwardian facade.[3] Kaplický told BusinessWeek in 2005: "Where is it written that buildings have to be boxes? People aren't boxes."[9]

Amanda Levete joined Future Systems as a partner in 1989. Kaplický and Levete married in 1991 and were a couple for 15 years; they had a son named Josef.[10] Although they divorced in 2006,[3] they continued their professional association in the architectural practice, saying that the separation strengthened their working relationship.[11]

The Selfridges Building in the Bull Ring in Birmingham, which won Future Systems seven awards, including the RIBA Award for Architecture 2004.

Although Kaplický was a finalist for the Prince Philip Prize for designer of the year in 1991, for the first 15 years of its existence Future Systems, he received few commissions until 1994, where the company was commissioned to build the new media centre at Lord's Cricket Ground which eventually won the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize – considered the most prestigious architecture award in the UK – in 1999 and the World Architecture Awards in 2001.[9] Kaplický considered the media centre "my favourite creation", saying, "It is something which was revolutionary in many areas – a real technical achievement – but above all, the people operating inside it have said: 'We love it,' and that's great."[12] In 2000, he was made an Honourable Fellow of RIBA.[7][13] Future Systems' next major project, the iconic Selfridges Building in the Bull Ring in Birmingham, won seven awards, including the RIBA Award for Architecture 2004. That year, Kaplický was the subject of a Czech documentary titled Profil (Profile).[14]

Final years and death

[edit]

In 2007, Kaplický won the design competition for the new Czech National Library building. This would be his first major building in his home country, and he said the project was the most important event in his life.[15] However, the design for the building, resembling a green and purple blob and nicknamed by locals "the Octopus", was heavily criticised. President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus was overheard saying he would be willing to prevent the building going ahead with his own body; his spokesman later clarified it was an off-hand remark that had not been meant to be taken seriously.[16] Pavel Bém, the Civic Democrat Mayor of Prague, supported the design when it was selected but later become hostile to it, saying that the City Council of Prague, which is dominated by the Civil Democratic Party, would not allow the Octopus to be built as it would ruin Prague's panorama.[17] Vlastimil Jezek, a former director of the Library, regarded Kaplický as "another protagonist of Czech culture who has been crushed by Czech narrow-mindedness."[6] Although the design was eventually dropped, Kaplický remained hopeful that the building would be built through funds from a private foundation established for this purpose.[18]

Apart from his design work, Kaplický was active in the education of architects. From 1982 to 1988, he taught at the Architectural Association School of Architecture, the oldest independent architectural school in the UK. In 1992, Kaplický taught at the School of Architecture in Bordeaux and at the Design Workshop of the Technische Universität Berlin. He was also an external examiner for the Architectural Association between 1995 and 1998, and in 2000 was an assessor for the Domus Awards of the B.B.J. Competition in Milan.[13]

In October 2008, news broke that Kaplický and Levete intended to go their separate ways after having collaborated professionally for 20 years. Kaplický was due to keep the Future Systems practice name.[19]

Towards the end of his life, Kaplický began to spend more time in the Czech Republic, where he was awaiting the construction of the Czech National Library[3] and where his design for the Congress and Concert Hall Centre in České Budějovice had been approved.[18] He married the film producer[3] Eliška Kaplická (née Fuchsová), in 2007. On 14 January 2009, hours after the birth of his daughter Johanna Kaplická, he collapsed on a street in Prague near Vítězné náměstí (Victory Square) with heart failure and could not be revived by emergency services.[18][20] The city authorities of Budweis have announced their determination to obtain funding to finally build a Kaplický building in his native Czech Republic.[18]

In a 2002 interview with The Observer, Kaplický said: "The world is full of beautiful things, and you have to be observant as an architect – if not, you are in trouble. Creativity is everywhere. ... The initial idea for a job comes to me literally just like that sometimes, and if that first idea is good then you are on the right track. It's not a sign of creativity to have 65 ideas for one problem, that's just a waste of energy. I also don't think you need to go anywhere particular to be creative; people just use that as an excuse. But I do think a lot of creativity depends on your relationships with other people, your personal relationships, your partner or whatever. Your personal happiness or unhappiness comes out in your work, it's a reflection of your emotional state and you can't separate the two."[12]

Major architectural projects

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Image Information Awards
Hauer-King House

Hauer-King House
Canonbury, London, England
Completed 1994

  • First Prize, Aluminium Imagination Award (1995)
  • Geoffrey Gribble Memorial Conservation Award (1995)
  • Civic Trust Award (1996)
West India Quay Bridge

West India Quay Bridge
Docklands, London, England
Completed 1996

  • British Construction Industry Award (1998)
  • Civic Trust Award (1998)
  • RIBA Award (1998)
Media Centre, Lord's Cricket Ground

Media Centre, Lord's Cricket Ground
London, England
Completed 1999

  • BIAT Award for Technical Excellence (1999)
  • British Construction Industry Award (1999)
  • First Prize, Aluminium Imagination Award (1999)
  • RIBA Stirling Prize (1999)
  • Civic Trust Award (2000)
  • World Architecture Awards (2001)
Selfridges Building

Selfridges Building
The Bull Ring, Birmingham, England
Completed 2003

  • Civic Trust Award (2004)
  • Destination of the Year, Retail Week Awards (2004)
  • Institution of Civil Engineers (2004)
  • Overall Winner, Concrete Society Awards (2004)
  • RIBA Award for Architecture (2004)
  • Royal Fine Art Commission Trust, Retail Innovation (2004)
  • British Constructional Steelwork Association Structural Steel Design Awards (2004)

Naples Subway Station
Naples, Italy
Commission awarded 2003; completed 2009 by Amanda Levete Architects

Ferrari Museum

Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari
Modena, Italy
Completed 2012

  • RIBA Award (2013)

National Library of the Czech Republic[21]
Prague, Czech Republic
Commission awarded 2007; project cancelled 2008.[22]

Congress and Concert Hall Centre
České Budějovice (Budweis), Czech Republic
Commission awarded 2008.

Awards and recognition

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Notes

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References

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Further reading

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jan Kaplický

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Jan Kaplický (18 April 1937 – 14 January 2009) was a who emigrated to in 1968 following the Soviet invasion of and became renowned for pioneering neofuturistic designs emphasizing fluid, organic forms inspired by biomorphic and technological motifs. After early collaborations with architects including , , and Norman Foster, he co-founded the innovative practice in 1979, through which he realized landmark structures such as the pod-like media centre at —which earned the in 1999—and the undulating, metallic-clad department store in Birmingham completed in 2003. Despite critical acclaim for these achievements, Kaplický's visionary proposals, including the amorphous "blob" design for Prague's that won an international competition in 2007 but faced vehement opposition for its unconventional appearance and was ultimately unrealized, highlighted the frequent resistance to his radical aesthetic, with many projects remaining unbuilt due to client conservatism and practical concerns.

Early Life and Education

Childhood and Family Background

Jan Kaplický was born on 18 April 1937 in , , as the only child of a sculptor father and a botanical illustrator mother. His father, who also worked as a painter, incorporated elements of into family projects, including the design of their garden and other minor structures. Kaplický spent his early years in a suburb amid the Nazi occupation of , which began shortly after his birth and persisted through much of . He later reflected on the profound effects of this period, as well as the communist takeover that followed the war's end in 1945, shaping a childhood marked by political upheaval and artistic influences from his parents' professions. The family's creative environment, rooted in , , and , provided an early exposure to visual and spatial arts that presaged his future career.

Formal Education and Early Training

Jan Kaplický enrolled in the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in (Vysoká škola uměleckoprůmyslová, or VŠUP) in 1956, where he pursued studies in and . The institution, established in the , emphasized alongside technical architectural training, reflecting Czechoslovakia's post-World War II emphasis on functionalist and socialist-realist influences in design education. Kaplický completed his diploma in in 1962, gaining foundational skills in drafting, structural principles, and during a period when the curriculum balanced modernist experimentation with state-directed pragmatism. Following graduation, Kaplický's early professional training occurred within Prague's state-controlled architectural sector, where he worked briefly at a institute. This role exposed him to practical project execution under communist oversight, including collaborative work on public and industrial structures amid limited material resources and ideological constraints. He also established an independent practice in during this time, honing his abilities in conceptual sketching and model-making, which later distinguished his futuristic style. These experiences, constrained by the regime's emphasis on utilitarian forms, nonetheless fostered Kaplický's early interest in innovative , as evidenced by his precise draughtsmanship noted in contemporary accounts. This phase ended in 1968 when, in response to the Soviet invasion of , he emigrated to , seeking greater creative freedom.

Professional Career

Arrival and Early Work in the United Kingdom

Kaplický emigrated from to the in 1968, shortly after the Soviet-led invasion that suppressed the Prague Spring reforms. He settled in with limited resources, arriving with approximately $100 and a few pairs of socks. This move marked his departure from a brief period of freelance architectural work in following his graduation from the Czech Technical University in 1962. In , Kaplický secured his first professional position in 1969 with and Partners, where he remained until 1971. During this time, he contributed to the production of construction drawings for the National Theatre on the . The office's focus on Brutalist concrete structures, emblematic of Lasdun's style, contrasted sharply with Kaplický's emerging interest in fluid, organic forms, limiting opportunities for his innovative ideas. From 1971 to 1977, Kaplický joined the London office of and , playing a key role in the detailed development of the in . His contributions included work on the building's exposed structural and mechanical systems, which exemplified and influenced his later emphasis on transparency and technological expression. This period exposed him to collaborative, engineering-driven design processes that shaped his approach to integrating services visibly within architecture.

Founding of Future Systems

Jan Kaplický co-founded the architectural practice in 1979 with David Nixon, a fellow with whom he had collaborated at Foster Associates. The partnership emerged from Kaplický's prior experience in London firms, including stints with and Norman Foster, where he contributed to high-tech projects that influenced his interest in innovative structural forms. Established in the , began as an independent entity aimed at advancing experimental architecture beyond conventional commissions. The firm's early operations functioned primarily as a design think tank, emphasizing conceptual work, detailed drawings, and speculative studies over immediate construction projects. Initial activities included client engagements such as design proposals for NASA's , which explored and fluid, biomorphic geometries. This phase allowed Kaplický and Nixon to synthesize influences from , , and non-orthodox forms, laying the groundwork for the practice's signature neofuturistic style without the constraints of rapid building demands. Built realizations remained scarce in these formative years, with the focus on visionary prototypes that challenged traditional architectural norms.

Expansion and Focus on Innovative Commissions

Following the establishment of in 1979, the firm initially concentrated on conceptual designs, but by the 1990s, it secured commissions for built projects that realized Kaplický's neofuturistic vision. This shift marked a pivotal expansion, as early realizations like the Hauer-King House in , completed in 1994, demonstrated radical yet feasible innovation, enhancing the practice's visibility among clients and peers. A landmark commission was the Media Centre at , constructed between 1998 and 1999 using boat-building techniques for its glossy white, pod-like form hovering over the pitch. The structure's lightweight aluminum and glass composition challenged conventional architectural norms, prioritizing fluid aesthetics and functionality for broadcast facilities, though its complexity nearly financially strained the firm. This project earned the Royal Institute of British Architects' in 1999, signifying critical acclaim and propelling toward larger-scale opportunities. The firm's focus on innovative forms culminated in the department store at Birmingham's Centre, opened in 2003, featuring a curvaceous, iceberg-inspired clad in 15,000 aluminum discs over a lace-like substructure. Covering 260,000 square feet, the design integrated parametric modeling for its undulating facade, symbolizing a departure from rectilinear retail architecture and revitalizing the city's skyline. These commissions underscored ' emphasis on organic, technology-driven solutions, fostering growth through high-profile realizations that balanced provocation with practicality.

Architectural Philosophy and Influences

Core Design Principles

Kaplický's architecture fundamentally challenged orthodox building conventions, advocating for fluid, non-orthogonal forms that drew inspiration from natural and biological processes rather than rigid geometric norms. He famously questioned, "Where is it written that buildings have to be boxes?", promoting biomorphic "blob" structures that evoked organic fluidity, as seen in early concepts like the 1986 Blob Office, which featured amoeba-like shapes powered by . This principle stemmed from a desire to liberate from industrial-era constraints, favoring curvilinear envelopes enabled by such as composite panels and curved glazing, which allowed seamless, monocoque-like constructions. Central to Future Systems' ethos was the seamless synthesis of natural forms and cutting-edge technology, positing no inherent conflict between the two. Designs often mimicked biological efficiencies—such as streamlined or adaptive skins—while incorporating high-performance engineering, exemplified by the Media Centre (1999), where a pod-like structure utilized lightweight composites for a sci-fi aesthetic that prioritized functionality over ornament. Kaplický emphasized hand-drawn precision over early digital tools, predating widespread CAD adoption, to achieve organic precision that blurred the line between machine precision and natural irregularity. Sustainability and forward-thinking adaptability formed another pillar, with early advocacy for green technologies like passive solar design and energy-efficient envelopes, as in the Selfridges Birmingham facade (2003) comprising 15,000 anodized aluminum discs mimicking fish scales for environmental responsiveness. This approach reflected a broader of as an evolving , responsive to human needs and ecological realities, rather than static monuments, influencing neofuturist trends by prioritizing visionary speculation grounded in practical .

Intellectual and Aesthetic Influences

Kaplický's aesthetic sensibilities were profoundly shaped by his family background, with his , a sculptor, and his mother, a botanical , fostering an early affinity for organic and biomorphic forms that permeated his later designs, such as the fluid, tent-like Media Centre at completed in 1999. This inclination toward nature-inspired morphology prefigured his experimentation with blob-like structures, blending high-tech fabrication with fluid geometries long before computational design became widespread. Intellectually, Kaplický drew from modernist pioneers encountered in his youth, including Wright's houses discovered in 1956, ' nearby Müller House in , and the writings of and , which he praised for their conceptual rigor and timeless appeal. A pivotal shift occurred upon emigrating to in 1968, where an accidental encounter with Archigram's work in a modern art exhibition expanded his horizons toward speculative, technology-driven megastructures and disposable architectures, profoundly influencing ' neofuturist ethos. Further influences included Buckminster Fuller's geodesic domes and lightweight systems, which informed Kaplický's pursuit of efficient, prefabricated structures, as well as high-tech practitioners like Norman Foster and , under whom he briefly worked and from whom he absorbed lessons in structural innovation and material daring. He also cited designers such as and Konrad Wachsmann for their integration of industrial processes with form, alongside inspirations from Czech constructivists like Jaroslav Polika and everyday technologies—boats, aeroplanes, and imagery—that underscored his vision of architecture as a seamless fusion of organic fluidity and engineered .

Notable Projects and Designs

Key Built Structures

Jan Kaplický's built works through emphasized fluid, biomorphic forms constructed with prefabricated elements and lightweight materials, marking a departure from traditional toward neofuturistic designs. These projects, realized primarily in the UK during the and early , include residential, infrastructural, and commercial structures that prioritized aerodynamic efficiency and visual provocation over conventional . The Hauer-King House, completed in 1994 at 40 Douglas Road in , , represents Kaplický's early residential experimentation. This wedge-shaped structure features a facade of bricks at the front and a sloping rear , supported by a composite with aluminum cladding. Designed for clients Hauer-King, it integrates modernist transparency with futuristic , spanning approximately 200 square meters on a narrow urban plot. In 1996, completed the West India Quay footbridge in London's Docklands, a pedestrian floating bridge commissioned by the London Docklands Development Corporation. The 100-meter-long structure employs tensile cables and lightweight pontoons to create an illusion of , facilitating safe passage over while minimizing visual obstruction to surrounding waterways. Its prefabricated aluminum elements highlight Kaplický's interest in boat-building techniques applied to . The NatWest Media Centre at , finished in 1999, stands as a landmark achievement, earning the Royal Institute of British Architects' that year. Costing £5.8 million, this 600-square-meter pod-like perches on slender legs, offering journalists panoramic views of the pitch through its curved aluminum shell fabricated via methods. The design, comprising 32 identical lens-shaped sections, optimizes sightlines and weather resistance while evoking a amid the historic ground. Selfridges department store in Birmingham, opened in 2003 as part of the Bull Ring regeneration, exemplifies Kaplický's scalable application of blob architecture to commercial retail. Built at a cost of £60 million with a clad in sprayed and 15,000 aluminum discs, the 32,000-square-meter structure's undulating form contrasts the surrounding orthogonal buildings, drawing 20,000 daily visitors upon completion. Its exterior, inspired by natural erosion, enhances visual permeability and urban dynamism.

Prominent Unbuilt or Competition Projects

Future Systems, under Jan Kaplický's direction, produced several visionary competition entries and proposals that remained unbuilt, often due to their radical forms challenging conventional urban contexts or regulatory hurdles. The most notable was the New National Library for , which won in an international competition launched in 2006, beating 740 entries. The design featured a 40,000 m² curvaceous, blob-like structure of and , elevated on slender columns to reduce ground impact and inspired by organic forms such as sea creatures or an eye, symbolizing transparency and fluidity in knowledge access. Estimated at £48–60 million, the project aimed to house the Czech National Library's collections on Prague's Letná Plain. Despite the win and €160,000 first prize, the scheme faced immediate backlash from the Czech Chamber of Architects, which claimed it violated competition rules by incorporating unauthorized elements like landscape proposals. Public and political opposition intensified, with critics arguing the amorphous form clashed irreconcilably with Prague's historic skyline and heritage, leading to petitions and ministerial reluctance. Kaplický expressed frustration over delays, viewing it as his long-awaited homeland commission, but changing governments and cultural priorities stalled progress; it was formally abandoned before his death, with design rights returned to the state in 2019 without revival. Earlier, in , Kaplický submitted a pioneering 'blob' design for the Grand Buildings competition in London's , envisioning a fluid, spaceship-like volume that anticipated his later organic tectonics but was deemed too alien for the site's classical surroundings and went unrealized. These projects underscored Kaplický's emphasis on biomorphic innovation over pragmatic conformity, influencing discourse on parametric architecture despite their non-construction.

Reception, Achievements, and Criticisms

Professional Recognition and Awards

Kaplický's architectural firm, , achieved significant professional recognition in the late and , particularly through awards for innovative built projects that challenged conventional forms. The Media Centre at , completed in 1999, received the Royal Institute of British Architects () Stirling Prize, the UK's premier award for architectural excellence, acknowledging its pioneering use of prefabricated pod-like structures. This project also earned a World Architecture Award, highlighting its international impact on parametric and . The department store in Birmingham, designed with a blob-like of 15,000 anodized aluminum discs and completed in 2003, won seven awards, including the RIBA Award for in 2004, recognizing its bold regeneration of a derelict urban site through organic, non-rectilinear forms. ' earlier recognition included RIBA Awards in 1998, preceding the firm's breakthrough with . Kaplický's competition successes further underscored his influence, such as winning the international tender for the Czech National Library in in 2007 with a tentacle-like "" design, though the project faced political cancellation. Posthumously, the Enzo Ferrari Museum in , —initiated under his direction and completed in 2012—received the National European Award in 2013, affirming the enduring viability of his biomorphic approach. These honors, drawn from bodies like , reflect peer validation of Kaplický's persistence after years of limited commissions, despite initial skepticism toward his futuristic style.

Criticisms of Style and Practicality

Kaplický's , characterized by fluid, organic forms often associated with blobitecture, faced critiques for emphasizing visual novelty over functional efficiency. The term "blobitecture" emerged in the mid-1990s as a label for designs imitating rounded, amorphous shapes, which some argued compromised structural integrity and usability in favor of sculptural aesthetics. The department store in Birmingham, completed in , exemplified these concerns with its largely windowless facade, which critics deemed atypical and impractical for a retail environment dependent on natural daylight to attract shoppers and display merchandise. This opaque exterior, clad in 15,000 aluminum discs, prioritized a monolithic, iridescent appearance but raised questions about internal lighting costs and . Proposed projects like the Czech National Library, unveiled in 2007, intensified practicality debates due to its tentacle-like protrusions and plan to store 10 million books underground, which librarians contended would jeopardize preservation by exposing volumes to suboptimal and controls. Opponents, including cultural figures, labeled the an extravagant "" unfit for institutional needs, contributing to its political rejection despite winning an international competition. Such fluid geometries also posed construction challenges, with detractors noting elevated costs and engineering complexities that rendered many concepts unfeasible for realization. Professional peers occasionally dismissed Kaplický's output as showy spectacle disconnected from pragmatic demands, arguing that his neofuturist visions strained client budgets and maintenance regimes without commensurate benefits in performance or longevity. These reservations, voiced amid broader skepticism toward trends, underscored tensions between Kaplický's theoretical innovations and the rigors of built .

Death and Legacy

Final Years and Death

In his later years, Kaplický increasingly directed his efforts toward architectural projects in the , including the design for a new in Prague's Letná district, which won through an international competition in 2007. The proposed structure, featuring a fluid, biomorphic form covered in green panels, encountered substantial political resistance and public debate over its aesthetics and feasibility, preventing construction from advancing before his death. Prior to this focus, Kaplický had negotiated a separation from his longtime collaborator at , allowing him to concentrate on Czech initiatives while she pursued independent work. Kaplický died suddenly on January 14, 2009, in at the age of 71, collapsing on a street from mere hours after the birth of his second child, a daughter. His unexpected passing occurred amid ongoing efforts to realize the project, leaving its future uncertain.

Posthumous Recognition and Enduring Impact

Following Kaplický's death on January 14, 2009, the Kaplicky Centre Foundation—established in 2008 by his daughter Eliška Kaplický Fuchsová—assumed responsibility for preserving and advancing his architectural legacy and the Future Systems brand, including through exhibitions, archival efforts, and promotional initiatives. The foundation acquired and relocated a prototype classroom pod designed by Future Systems in 2000 for Grey Court School in Richmond, UK; after a 2025 campaign by the Twentieth Century Society prevented its demolition, the structure was transported to the Czech Republic for restoration as an educational and cultural pavilion, representing the first posthumous built project attributed to Kaplický in his native country. Several of Kaplický's designs reached completion posthumously, notably the Enzo Ferrari Museum in , , which Future Systems conceived in 2004 and which opened on March 10, 2012, under the supervision of project architect Andrea Morgante, who handled construction detailing after Kaplický's passing. Concurrently, formally ceased operations in October 2009, transitioning into a foundation dedicated to sustaining Kaplický's oeuvre amid the firm's prior dissolution announced in 2008. Posthumous exhibitions underscored his influence, including a 2009 UK display of his conceptual drawings and models emphasizing unbound, futuristic forms; a 2010 retrospective at Prague's DOX Centre for featuring his career-spanning works; and a 2015 Architectural Association show in highlighting his hand-drawn visions, such as the Stirling Prize-winning Lord's Cricket Ground Media Centre. In 2023, the foundation repurposed the historic Čerych Villa in into a creative center to host events tied to his biomorphic and neofuturist principles. The Jan Kaplický Award, launched by the architectural platform, annually honors architects embodying his radical innovation in form and material use, with presentations at the PULSE Gala commencing post-2009. Kaplický's enduring impact manifests in the persistence of his organic, aesthetics—drawing from natural and technological precedents—which challenged rectilinear norms and prefigured trends, though many projects remained unbuilt due to practical and funding constraints during his lifetime.

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Kaplický was first married to British architect in 1991; the couple, who co-founded the architectural practice , had a son named Josef. They separated around 2003 and divorced in 2006, though they maintained a professional partnership until Kaplický's death. In 2007, Kaplický married Czech film producer Eliška Fuchsová, who was 41 years his junior. Their daughter, Johanka, was born on January 14, 2009, in ; Kaplický died later that evening from a heart attack. No other marriages or long-term relationships are documented in available records.

Interests Outside Architecture

Kaplický extended his creative pursuits into and , disciplines distinct from his architectural practice, as demonstrated in the 2011 exhibition Jan Kaplický: His Own Way at the Danubiana Meulensteen , which featured his works in these areas alongside architectural models. These endeavors reflected his broader artistic inclinations, influenced by his family's background—his father was a sculptor and painter who incorporated minor architectural elements like designs, while his mother worked as an illustrator. He maintained a personal of collecting stickers, drawn to their evolving designs and the ingenuity invested in their production over time. Kaplický also valued quiet reflection, often arriving at his office by 8 a.m. for undisturbed thinking and preferring weekends there to avoid interruptions, underscoring a disciplined approach to that supported his overall . His appreciation for natural forms, such as cobwebs, wings, and scales, informed these non-architectural expressions, revealing an observant eye for organic beauty independent of building projects.

References

  1. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/jan/16/obituary-jan-kaplick
  2. https://english.radio.cz/jan-kaplicky-a-czech-architect-turning-future-systems-reality-8622834
  3. https://www.archdaily.com/620990/spotlight-jan-kaplicky
  4. https://www.archdaily.com/16886/kaplickys-controversial-prague-library-may-get-built
  5. https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/26/arts/design/26kaplicky.html
  6. https://english.radio.cz/jan-kaplicky-a-czech-architect-turning-future-systems-reality-8093829
  7. https://english.radio.cz/remembering-jan-kaplicky-8588255
  8. https://www.architectmagazine.com/Design/jan-kaplicky-dies-at-71_o
  9. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/4388855/Jan-Kaplicky.html
  10. https://www.archinform.net/arch/7590.mobi.htm
  11. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/archive/jan-kaplicky-1937-2009-career-timeline
  12. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/practice/culture/kaplicky-visionary-draughtsman
  13. https://www.bcsa.co.uk/czech-slovak-british-connections/
  14. https://www.bcsa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Kaplicky-BCS-Review-176-Feb-Mar-2021-6-7.pdf
  15. https://hicarquitectura.com/2025/06/future-systems-hauer-king-house/
  16. https://archeyes.com/jan-kaplicky-drawings/
  17. https://www.e-architect.com/architects/future-systems
  18. https://www.architonic.com/en/s/remembering-jan-kaplicky-architect-of-future-systems/7000368
  19. https://www.azuremagazine.com/article/jan-kaplickys-futuristic-visions-future-systems/
  20. https://www.archdaily.com/605327/london-s-architectural-association-exhibits-futuristic-work-of-jan-kaplicky
  21. https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/jan-kaplicky-drawings-aa
  22. https://study.com/academy/lesson/blobitecture-characteristics-examples-blob-architecture.html
  23. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2005-11-27/the-shape-of-things-to-come
  24. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/archive/the-futures-bright-2
  25. https://english.radio.cz/major-new-book-commemorates-genius-designer-jan-kaplicky-8701447
  26. http://architecturalinterviews.blogspot.com/2010/01/jan-kaplicky-interview-by-hans-ulrich.html
  27. https://www.modernism-in-metroland.co.uk/hauer-king-house.html
  28. https://www.archinform.net/projekte/1118.mobi.htm
  29. https://www.archilovers.com/projects/15510/floating-bridge.html
  30. https://www.archiweb.cz/en/b/most-pro-pesi-west-india-quay
  31. https://www.ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk/projects/display/id/2692
  32. https://eumiesawards.com/heritageobject/natwest-media-centre/
  33. https://www.e-architect.com/london/lords-media-stand
  34. https://c20society.org.uk/100-buildings/2003-selfridges-birmingham
  35. https://arquitecturaviva.com/works/almacenes-selfridges-birmingham-
  36. https://peterzarkob.com/locations/selfridges-building/
  37. https://www.ribaj.com/culture/jan-kaplicky-drawings-at-the-aa
  38. https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/the-blob-still-isnt-dead-the-architects-widow-has-given-the-rights-to-the-state-for-future-use
  39. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/future-systems-winning-prague-national-library-broke-competition-rules
  40. https://www.uia-architectes.org/en/competition/new-national-library-prague-2006/
  41. https://www.worldconstructionnetwork.com/projects/407nationallibrary/
  42. https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/future-systems-wins-its-first-ever-czech-scheme-image
  43. https://www.building.co.uk/news/images-czech-library/3082803.article
  44. https://www.bdonline.co.uk/future-systems-winning-prague-library-full-set-of-images/3082843.article
  45. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2008/jan/06/architecture
  46. https://english.radio.cz/architect-kaplicky-frustrated-over-national-library-project-8598623
  47. https://www.prague.net/blog/article/88/controversial-eye-above-prague
  48. https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/yesterdays-future-visionary-designs-future-systems-and-archigram
  49. https://designmuseum.org/whats-on/talks-courses-and-workshops-not-in-use-2/jan-kaplick-visions-of-the-future
  50. https://www.kaplickycentre.org/en/jan-kaplicky-en/
  51. https://readingoffice.com/jan-kaplicky/
  52. https://danubiana.sk/en/vystavy/vlastnou-cestou
  53. https://www.archiweb.cz/en/n/competition/mezi-vitezi-riba-national-european-award-je-i-kaplickeho-muzeum
  54. https://theworld.org/stories/2017/03/10/ugly-blob-or-cultural-treasure
  55. https://english.radio.cz/press-architects-could-sue-over-national-library-tender-8471059
  56. https://observers.france24.com/en/20100111-prague-blob-czech-future-systems-octopus-national-library-kaplicky
  57. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2008/oct/17/architecture
  58. https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/jan-kaplicky-visionary-architect-of-selfridges-in-birmingham-xcrqrbj2v7n
  59. https://www.architectmagazine.com/Design/did-a-new-york-times-columnist-coin-blobitecture_o
  60. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2009/jan/15/architect-jan-kaplicky-dies
  61. https://www.archiweb.cz/en/n/home/pred-10-lety-zemrel-vizionar-jan-kaplicky
  62. https://www.building.co.uk/news/jan-kaplickys-last-project-may-never-be-built/3132188.article
  63. https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/4869-amanda-levete-branches-out-after-kaplicky-s-death
  64. https://www.kaplickycentre.org/en/fundation/
  65. https://c20society.org.uk/news/its-coming-home-future-systems-classroom-pod-saved
  66. https://www.wallpaper.com/architecture/enzo-ferrari-museum-by-future-systems
  67. https://www.building.co.uk/news/jan-kaplickys-widow-calls-time-on-future-systems/3150457.article
  68. https://english.radio.cz/what-buildings-could-be-if-they-werent-so-horribly-earthbound-uk-exhibition-8581141
  69. https://www.archiweb.cz/en/n/exhibition/jan-kaplicky-vlastni-cestou--1
  70. https://www.archiweb.cz/en/n/home/ve-vile-cerych-vznikne-kreativni-centrum-nadacniho-fondu-kaplicky-centre
  71. https://pulse.archi/awards
  72. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/4968429/My-greatest-regret-is-that-I-didnt-make-peace-with-him-in-life.html
  73. https://www.archiweb.cz/en/n/foreign/levete-lituje-ze-se-s-kaplickym-za-jeho-zivota-neusmirili
  74. https://www.the-independent.com/news/people/news/architect-dies-hours-after-his-wife-gives-birth-1380395.html
  75. https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2011/apr/09/amanda-levete-architecture-practice
  76. https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2002/sep/22/features.magazine177
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