Prague City Hall has approved money collection proposed by the foundation Pro Knihovnu for the construction of Kaplický’s octopus. Organisers will publicise the bank account number, which will be available as of Monday.
Three weeks after the death of the renowned architect, the founders of the Pro Knihovnu foundation were granted permission to hold a public collection for the library. “We are currently discussing the bank account number with the bank, which will be made public and functioning as of Monday,” said Jan Kasl, one of the founding members. City Hall approved the duration of the collection for three years.
It will be possible to donate money directly to the bank account, but also indirectly through the purchase of T-shirts or badges with the octopus design. “We are also planning to address foreign companies. It’s not impossible really to collect enough money for the project. The motto, the ‘nation to itself’ has a real meaning,” Kasl said.
The people behind the initiative have marked out three goals. They want to pay for the constructability study that will establish the exact technical, building and construction solutions of the project, as well as its accurate budget. “Nobody has so far calculated the real price of the project,” Kasl said. Above all, however, the foundation wants to acquire the land on Letná.
The foundation will closely cooperate with Jan Kaplický’s architectural studio Future Systems. According to Kasl, the orphaned company is planning to change its name to New Future Systems.
This foundation is not the first demonstration of support for the deceased architect. People summoned through the Facebook social network site were to meet Thursday on the Old Town square.
The collection was approved from 9 February 2009 until 26 January 2012. People will be able to send money to the set-up bank account, put money into moneyboxes or send donors text messages (DMS).
According to some media, members of the foundation include architect Jan Kasl, re-elected Rector of Academy of Performing Arts Ivo Mathé, while the board of trustees comprises screenwriter and director Jan Svěrák, artist Jiří Černický and designer Alan Záruba.
