Prague - International cultural and spiritual centre Prague Crossroads (Pražská křižovatka) saw hundreds of people come to bid farewell to late Jan Kaplický on Tuesday.
Czech-born architect Kaplický died unexpectedly January 16 on one of the Prague streets.
The final farewell with the world renowned architect who was born in Prague but lived in Britain for decades was launched at 1 pm by music playing by a Dixieland band.
Among those who came to pay homage to Jan Kaplický were Social Democrats' chairman Jiří Paroubek and his rife Petra, former minister Jiří Dienstbier, Czech-born architect Eva Jiřičná, singer and the architect's friend Pavel Bobek and plenty others.
"You will always be my flying saucer, my future," Pavel Bobek sang a song by Johnny Cash in the centre.
Director of London-based Museum of Design Deyan Sudjič also came to say goodbye to his good friend.
"When he [Kaplický] founded the Future Systems studio together with David Nixon, their first commission was my flat. They turned it into a spaceship," said Sudjič.
"I have never met such a talented person like Jan was," said Eva Jiřičná who used to be Kaplický's partner for 10 years.
"Man can do miracles with such a talent that Jan undeniably had," she added.
Former president Václav Havel who is hospitalized at the moment wrote a letter to Kaplický's daughter Johanka.
She was born on the same day Kaplický died and Havel was taken to hospital a few days before that.
"I wish you not to have to face narrow-mindedness more than it would be necessary in your life," says Václav Havel in his letter to a few weeks' old Johanka. The letter was read by his wife Dagmar Havlová.
The farewell bid is now open to public. People can come to say goodbye until 7 pm and watch films and photos capturing his life and work.
