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July 5th, 2008
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New element in national library debate

National Gallery director suggests housing books in Congress Center

By Ondřej Bouda
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
April 30th, 2008 issue

The dispute over the new National Library building has continued for months, as the design by architect Jan Kaplický dubbed “the Octopus” to be erected in Letná Park divided city officials and the public. Prague Mayor Pavel Bém, originally a supporter of the innovative purple design, is now one of its loudest opponents.
The latest suggested solution appears to have come from National Gallery Director Milan Knížák. “The Congress Center could be rebuilt as a new National Library building,” he told The Prague Post in an April 4 interview. At the time, it seemed just another idea in a never-ending debate but, in an April 27 television interview, Bém stated that he is considering Knížák’s idea.
Rebuilding the Congress Center would cost an estimated 1 billion Kč ($64 million) to 3 billion Kč, compared with the construction of the new building, which has been estimated at 2 billion Kč. But Knížák is not bothered by the potentially larger price tag. “The Congress Center is a growing problem and will require a large investment anyway,” he said. “The longer City Hall waits the more it will have to pay for its eventual conversion. Right now it could solve two problems at the cost of one.”
Knížák considers the current Congress Center “extremely ugly” and thinks such an iconic place in Vyšehrad should have a more appealing look. “Reconstructing the old communist building would help promote Prague as a tourist destination, serve its residents and solve the problems currently facing the National Library,” he said.
The Congress Center was reconstructed for the 2000 International Monetary Fund and World Bank summit and currently hosts cultural and scientific events. Making it a library would not only be expensive but could limit the city’s ability to host such events.
While the National Library was unavailable for comment by press time, Director Vlastimil Ježek voiced his concern over the idea in an April 28 interview with Mladá fronta Dnes. He pointed out that the Congress Center is 1.5 billion Kč in debt, an amount that would have to be paid by the state before any reconstruction could begin.
“However, if we could tear it down,” Ježek said, “I’d be happy to build a new building on the spot. It would be an ideal place close to a metro station.”

Ondřej Bouda can be reached at news@praguepost.com


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