V-Plaza


Location: Kaunas, Lithuania
Description:
What was previously a largely unused space adjoined by historical buildings is now a new, inviting public amenity where you can casually enjoy a coffee in your lunch break or get some work done outdoors while children play in the water, young people skate and students relax in the sun… This is certainly the new now in Kaunas, a city in Lithuania which, with the help of 3deluxe, has brought to life a future-oriented architectural concept that sets new impulses and is geared towards the communicative needs of a young and dynamic generation. 3deluxe created an exciting ensemble featuring various architectural interpretations of the different eras that define the city. The real challenge was to preserve cultural heritage while creating space for social transformation. And the solution was innovative architecture that caters to the needs of today’s society: bright, friendly, open and connecting. The central new-build block reflects the city’s Bauhaus tradition and forges a clear link to the now modernized dual ensemble that so epitomizes the International Style of the early 1960s. The redesign of the façade picks up on the aesthetic simplicity to be found in this Baltic testimony to mid-century Modern, with a pronounced Cubist design vocabulary and clear lines. An elongated roof pavilion covers both the newly built and the renovated structures and thus melds different styles to create a new whole. The roof pavilion incorporates a roof terrace that stretches the entire length of the complex – a green oasis offering a magnificent view of the whole city. The redesign of the interiors likewise emphasizes the idea of connection, since all the buildings are linked internally. Extensive lobbies, atriums and open workspaces permit straightforward communication as well as concentrated and creative work. Meanwhile, shops, cafés and restaurants inject further life into this modern, agile world of work and the lively, urban leisure society. As the man who is funding the transformation of the square is a passionate skateboarder and wanted to offer skate enthusiasts a new home in the city, hence large parts of the square are laid out to be skater-friendly too. Specialists in skate park construction were therefore brought on board to help realize the challenging free forms developed by 3deluxe. Another addition, lying opposite the new corner building, is a modern amphitheater, and the frontage facing it can be outfitted with a giant LED screen for public viewings when required. On this basis, additional mobile elements will be used to bring further life to the square: a pavilion that can be planted in various ways as an urban gardening project, changing installations such as kiosks, food trucks and mobile seating, and a temporary event stage. All in all, it’s a square to bring people together, to create new opportunities, and to improve the quality of life for people in Kaunas.
Project Manager:
Dieter Brell
Other team members:
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Company information:
3deluxe;
www.3deluxe.de;