Real estate project management company EIKA Development has completed the construction of the connection in the EIKA Business Center ahead of schedule. During the construction work, advanced solutions were applied, which helped ensure uninterrupted work of the business center tenants during the construction. The entire connection of the new building was leased by the company Shift4 Payments, which will soon be located there.
Finished work ahead of schedule
In October 2024, EIKA Development began development work on the business center in Vilnius, A. Goštauto St. 40A, during which it constructed a building connecting two existing high-rise buildings of the business center.
In November of this year, construction was completed and the premises are soon to be handed over to the tenant – all 1,400 sq m of the combined building with a roof terrace has been leased by the company Shift4 Payments.
The total investment in the connection building amounted to approximately EUR 6.9 million, including an additional investment in equipping the premises for the future tenant.
“We are pleased that we completed this project earlier than planned, despite the difficult circumstances when other tenants were working in the business center and we carried out the work in such a way that they did not have to move anywhere during the construction. Current advanced technologies and our experience in applying them already allow us to actually implement such a task, which may seem difficult to others,” says Martynas Žibūda, CEO of EIKA Development.
The connection project was started with an existing client, Shift4 Payments, and taking into account its needs.
“The layout requirements were prepared according to the company’s specifics, and all interior and finishing works were carried out according to the interior project provided by Shift4 Payments. Since this is not the first stage of this company’s development, they knew perfectly well what they needed both when planning the premises and when thinking about the main interior solutions, so the work went very smoothly,” says M. Žibūda happily.
Customized unique solutions
However, the project itself was truly extraordinary, requiring the application of cutting-edge technologies, such as CLT wooden floors – no concrete was used, only wood and metal structures.
“The structure of the connection is special, it is based on a monolithic frame (8 columns and two beams) and is similar to a three-story bridge connecting existing buildings. We had a ready-made frame made of metal trusses, beams with a wooden CLT panel overlay, and everything was assembled on the site like Lego. There was almost no “wet” work, such as concreting, except for the construction of the foundations and columns with beams, the frame on which the entire structure rested. We were able to organize all the work and manage the project in such a way that everything would interfere with those working in the business center as little as possible,” says M. Žibūda.
“Another challenge was that we started the project immediately after signing the lease agreement, even though the construction permit for the project itself was obtained in 2020. Part of the team had already changed, so we had to quickly assemble a new one,” adds the head of EIKA Development.
The area of the new building is relatively small, but its specificity required creative solutions.
“From the construction side, there were many challenges in coordinating the construction organization so that it would cause minimal disruption to the existing building users. We had to think about the fact that the distance between the existing buildings is too small for the mechanisms, take into account the existing networks, we had to temporarily limit part of the parking lot, but we ensured that everyone had available parking spaces by renting a parking lot nearby,” M. Žibūda reveals the details of the project.
The construction organization scheme was also complex: the crane had to be taller than the existing buildings of the business center, and its installation required the temporary closure of the passage on A. Goštauto Street. In addition, access to the connecting building was also challenging, as it did not have a direct entrance from the outside – as a result, most of the materials had to be lifted into the facility by crane and through the existing elevators of the business center.
“The connection elements were installed later and direct access to it from the existing buildings was only made six months after construction. The connection itself with the business center buildings was complicated, because the connection building can be compared to a bridge structure – it was necessary to leave space so that the building could “walk”, that is, expand and contract,” M. Žibūda shares the nuances of the construction.
The metal structures became a challenge during the finishing: “They are not regular in shape, like columns with a rectangular diameter, so it was necessary to bring all the floor coverings, plasterboard partition walls, ceilings to each protrusion, fixing screws, etc. There were also many challenges with the wooden CLT floor. Its installation itself is quite simple, but like wood, it also has its own limitations due to weight and drilling.”
Focus on sustainability
According to M. Žibūda, the solutions implemented during the construction of the junction significantly reduced the environmental impact of this project. It is estimated that the CLT wooden structures chosen instead of reinforced concrete floors allowed for a reduction in emissions generated during construction by almost three times – from 159 to 57 t CO₂e, and the use of partially recycled aluminum profiles for the facade saved 38 t CO₂e. The integration of the junction into the existing business center complex also contributed to a more efficient use of the site and infrastructure.
“Sustainability in construction today is not just an idea – it is real, measurable results. Although the choice of CLT structures in this project cost about 200 thousand euros more than we would have chosen reinforced concrete floors, another solution – profiles with recycled aluminum – showed that sustainability also has cost-saving alternatives. We consciously choose to invest in lower environmental impact and higher-quality urban development,” says M. Žibūda, head of EIKA Development.
The “EIKA Business Center”, whose development began in 2003 and became one of the first modern office rental buildings in Vilnius, consists of two twelve-story buildings and a connecting 2-story building.
The business center, which emphasizes sustainability, has received international recognition – in 2019 it received a BREEAM sustainability certificate in the “Very good” category, and in 2022, after investing in building improvements, it received an “Excellent” rating. After the completion of the connection to Building A, the BREEAM certificate will be renewed and the aim is to maintain the “Excellent” level.