With the architects of “Baltas lapas” Tumas Mazūras and Giedrius Stogis (Unitectus) we talk about what is special about the project district Naujamiestis and how good urban practices were applied in the design of “Baltė lapė”. After the conversation, we discuss for some time the importance of architecture in human life, Open House Vilnius open architecture weekend, one of the organizers of which is Giedrius, and about the growing appetite of Vilnius residents for good architecture. At the same time, we hope that “Baltas lapas” will meet the expectations of the citizens.
What city do you think is a good city from an architectural and urbanistic point of view?
Darkness: It seems to me that big cities like Barcelona, where only home home home home, creepy, too dense, not friendly to humans. A good city should be more diverse, with intervening parks or other urban solutions.
Then Vilnius, as a city, is good?
Darkness: Vilnius, as a city, is in principle good, but perhaps a little too sparse, scattered. There are a lot of open spaces, even children, seven or eight years old, notice that the city is unusually green. This probably sounds like praise for Vilnius. But that greenery is uncontrollable in places. Although the fact that there are forests in the city is perhaps peculiar and charming, it brings a sense of naturalness.
Giedrius: And I really like Riga. The Old Town – without cars, a green zone has been created around it, and then the New Town, which has its own face – Art Nouveau-style buildings, generating, like the Old Town, a flow of visitors and tourists, which has become Riga’s calling card. It could have been the same with us, but the New Town plan was not fully implemented, so it remained somewhat scattered.
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