Most Prague citizens like Blob

The majority of people living in Prague like the design of a planned new National Library building, suggests a poll carried out by the STEM agency. Sixty percent of the Prague citizens surveyed last week said they liked the green-and-violet octopus-like design by the world-renowned Czech architect Jan Kaplicky. However, the building - nicknamed the Blob - will probably not be built at the original site selected on Prague's Letna Plain, as city councillors say the modernistic building would be too near the historical centre of the city. There have been suggestions it could go up elsewhere in Prague, though there is a good chance Mr Kaplicky's plan will never be realised.

Meanwhile, National Library director Vlastimil Jezek said on Sunday that if the Blob is built it could cost around CZK three billion, rather than the two billion originally envisaged.