Today, October 19, The Lithuanian Union of Architects and real estate developer Eika announced the winners and prize-winners of the international architectural competition to design a multifunctional complex on Gedimino Avenue in Vilnius. The competition was won by the design proposal of UAB Unitectus. Its authors are architects Tauras Paulauskas, Dainius Čepurna, Povilas Čepaitis, Žilvinas Urbas, Giedrius Stogis, Ieva Noreikaitė and Linda Šeženytė.
Six project proposals were submitted to the competition, and five were evaluated by the commission. Second place was awarded to the project UAB “Cloud architektai”, whose authors are Jovilė Porvaneckaitė, Antanas Dagelis, Andrius Vilčinskas, Simonas Čalnaras and Gabrielė Nešukaitytė. Third place was awarded to the project “PLH arkitekter A/S”, whose authors are Steen Enrico Andersen, Ole Jonsson, Aleksandras Gvildys, Lina Bareikytė, Benjamin Lucas, Tarek Sakkel and Nicole Will. All three first places are awarded solid cash prizes – 15 thousand, 7 thousand and 5 thousand euros.
The task set for the competition participants was to harmonize the different functional parts of the complex, harmoniously integrate the buildings on Gedimino Avenue, incorporate the early 20th century building on Dainavos Street, and also functionally plan pedestrian and car zones.
The commission had a great responsibility to select the project that best suits this urban space. According to Gintautas Blažiūnas, a member of the Architects’ Union and the evaluation commission, all the works submitted to the competition have interesting architectural solutions, but each one needs to be improved. “The evaluation commission assessed the work that has the most opportunities to improve the project without changing its essential solutions as the best,” – G. Blažiūnas summarizes the commission’s decision.
According to Domas Dargis, CEO of Eika, the submitted proposals were pleased with their creative architectural solutions. “Given the complexity of the project, we are satisfied with the proposals received. It is nice to choose from strong creative works. We are sure that the most suitable project, which will best fit into the environment and create wonderful new attractions for Vilnius residents and city guests, won. For us, the architectural proposals in the winning project are very valuable in terms of the shopping gallery, the layout of the office building, the preserved volume of the existing building, the separation of new buildings from neighboring buildings, a clearly visible hotel entrance and a restaurant with an outdoor terrace,” D. Dargis lists the advantages of the winning project.
The competition took place over several months, and the commission consisted of representatives of the Vilnius City Municipality and the Department of Cultural Heritage, architects, and clients.
The multifunctional complex will consist of a 4-star hotel with about 150 rooms, a 5,000 square meter business center, a luxury apartment building, and a shopping gallery. The total area of the project is planned to be about 18 thousand square meters, and the buildings will border Dainavos, V. Kudirkos streets, and Gedimino avenue.
The actual preparatory work – site preparation, laying of communications – will begin at the end of this year. One of the most important objects of this project – the Hilton Garden Inn hotel – will open at the end of 2018.
About the Eika group of companies
Founded in 1992, the company “Eika” is one of the largest real estate development and construction groups in Lithuania, successfully developing residential, commercial, public and other purpose building projects, creating a new quality of life and work. The company has already built more than 3,750 apartments and 320 thousand square meters of buildings. “Eika” has been awarded many times as the best real estate developer in Lithuania, and the company’s projects “Santariškių namai” and “Eika namai Pilaitė” have also become the best in Lithuania.
More information:
Jorūnė Juodžbalytė
Marketing and Communications Manager
UAB “Eika”
A. Goštauto St. 40A, Vilnius
Phone: +370 520 45809
Mobile: +370 686 80126
Email: [email protected]