Towards the end of the construction works in the Paupia district, the "Architektūros parkas" is expanding further along the Vilnius river - the developers of the former "Audeja" factory territory, the company "Vilnius miesto projektai" are preparing to present project proposals to the public. In the Rasa township, Markučiai, on an area of 3 hectares, next to the busy Drujas street, architectural studio "Unitectus" has designed a multi-functional complex by order of the builder, where one block will be for administrative purposes, the other for residential purposes.
The project is planned in an important area - right next to the historical core of the city, in the Vilnelė river valley rich in natural resources, but surrounded by the main streets of the city. And not in an empty place. In the former industrial area, which, like other adjacent areas, is planned to be converted into mixed high-density multifunctional areas in the General Plan, reconstruction of individual buildings has already begun, and planning works for individual areas have been prepared.
"Architektūros parkas" is the largest conversion project in Vilnius, the aim of which is to move industrial companies out of the historical areas of Paplauja and Markučiai and integrate this area into the city center, turning it into a harmonious residential area that also offers jobs, cultural life, social infrastructure, and an active multi-layered community . Urbanists do not doubt that the redevelopment of former industrial areas is more sustainable than the development of new infrastructure in the suburbs - it encourages people to return to the city center.
The project will be evaluated by architectural experts
The chief architect of the city, Mindaugas Pakalnis, is happy with the development of the city in the southeastern part, which is gradually becoming a counterweight to the dominant development in the northeast. "Near the Old Town and the center, there is a lack of residential housing, so projects such as the multi-functional complex on Drujas Street can be considered a positive phenomenon. But at the same time, it is very important that the conversion taking place here corresponds to the general spirit of the changes taking place in Vilnius and the requirements we set. First of all, it is the formation of lively parts of the city, which is impossible without the first floors of buildings dedicated to different functions and services," said M. Pakalnis. Therefore, we will strive for the first floors of this project and their surroundings to be like this. Such a remark has already been made to the authors of the project.
According to M. Pakalnis, it is expected that the mobility solutions in the Drujas street complex will be arranged while maintaining the supremacy of the pedestrian - for them, as well as for cyclists, the street and all the objects here must be used in the most convenient way. Another priority is public transport and the last remaining car users in this chain. This logic should also determine the width of the streets and sidewalks and the landscaping and interior spaces of the complexes, in other words, the courtyards: in a residential quarter, they must be attractive for community activities.
M. Pakalnis praises the decision of the architects to divide the entire area into two blocks of similar size, but with mutual connections, based on their functions - this allows for the creation of a seamless urban fabric. But the architectural expression of the apartment buildings of the complex proposed by the Unitectus studio also raises doubts for the chief architect of the city.
"The requirements and expectations for this place are really high - the Drujas street project will naturally be compared with the neighboring Paupia. When thinking about the integrity of the city, architectural quality is of utmost importance. The project was carried out by a team of architects who have successfully designed several large objects in Vilnius. But in this case, I miss the architectural character that I would like for this place. I would like that the houses being designed here do not resemble the old large-scale flats," said M. Pakalnis. He hopes to hear more opinions after submitting the project for evaluation by the Council of the Lithuanian Architectural Union.
M. Pakalnis drew attention to the fact that the conversion in this part of the city is almost ten years ahead of the expectations of the city administration at the beginning of the project, around 2004.
"It is clear that the social infrastructure will be a challenge for this rapidly growing part of the city - there are no empty kindergartens or schools around," the city's chief architect admitted. - When evaluating the current project of apartment buildings planned for Drujas street, it can be seen that House here, the focus is not on families, but on singles who need a starter temporary housing. However, despite this, we will negotiate with the developers of the new projects, looking for opportunities to use the first floors of the newly constructed buildings for social infrastructure - to rent or purchase premises that we would adapt to a kindergarten or other educational institutions. Maybe we can find a mutually acceptable model. The issue of schools is a bit different - in Vilnius, children usually attend schools that are not in the neighborhood, but ones that their parents like."
You can find more information about the project here.
