The 18th Lithuanian Real Estate Awards “For Sustainable Development” were held in Vilnius on Wednesday, announcing the country’s best residential, commercial, production/logistics and public real estate projects. The award in the public purpose category this year went to two projects implemented by EIKA Construction – the Vilnius Airport Departure Terminal and the VU Medical Science Center.
The mission of the awards, organized by the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association (LNTPA) and the Sustainable Development Academy since 2008, is to foster sustainable development ideas, draw public attention and present the best projects of real estate developers, and promote cooperation between business, science, government and non-governmental organizations.
This year, 34 real estate projects were nominated in five categories of the “For Sustainable Development” awards, and perhaps the most difficult task for the event’s jury was in the public projects category, where two exceptional buildings competed for the title: the Medical Science Center of the Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine (VU MF) and the Vilnius Airport Departure Terminal. After long deliberations, it was decided to present the award to both projects.
“These projects were truly extraordinary and complex, so we are sincerely glad that our team’s work has been recognized on a national scale. The airport departure terminal is like the capital’s gateway to the world, while the VU Medical Science Center has become the largest investment in medical science infrastructure in the history of independent Lithuania. We are very proud to be able to contribute to the implementation of such important projects for our country,” said Almantas Čebanauskas, head of EIKA Construction.
“The competition committee had a truly difficult, but at the same time pleasant challenge in selecting the winner of the public real estate category. However, after long discussions, it was decided that both projects were equally worthy of winning. The decision was determined by the undeniable significance of the objects not only for the development of the real estate market and urban quality, but also for the economic potential of all of Lithuania. The successful implementation of such objects demonstrates the maturity of cooperation between the public and private sectors. It is also gratifying to note that both of these projects were implemented by a member of the LNTPA and one of the founders of the association,” says Mindaugas Statulevičius, chairman of the competition evaluation committee, president of the LNTPA.
The acclaimed VU Medical Science Center opened its doors in October 2024, and it has already housed numerous research centers and laboratories, including the country’s first biobank and the first biological safety level 3 laboratory. The complex, implemented by EIKA Construction, consists of 6 buildings with almost 900 premises, and their total area exceeds 19 thousand sq. m. The project value (excluding furniture and equipment) reached almost 50 million euros. The architects of the complex are Antanas Dagelis and Jovilė Porvaneckaitė-Dagelienė from UAB Cloud architektai.
“I would like to thank Vilnius University once again for their faith and trust in our vision. It is wonderful to see such a modern, international-level science center in Lithuania, whose architecture encourages cooperation, connects with clinical practices, and creates conditions for even faster scientific progress,” said A. Dagelis, head of UAB “Cloud Architektai”, who was delighted with the award.
The new Vilnius Airport departure terminal, which won the second “For Sustainable Development” public real estate project award, was also completed in the fall of 2024, but officially opened its doors in February of this year. The 2-storey, 14.4 thousand sq. m. terminal, which cost approximately 50 million euros, should double the airport’s passenger service and throughput capacity from 1.2 thousand to 2.4 thousand passengers per hour in the long term. The terminal was designed by architect Artūras Asauskas of the Vilnius Architecture Studio.
EIKA Group’s real estate projects also received attention in other award categories. In addition to the VU Medical Science Center and Vilnius Airport Departure Terminal, the EIKA Development projects “House of the Sun”, “Seasons”, “Animal Personas”, “Medeina House”, “Old Town Gardens” and the Rūdninkai Military Camp were also nominated.
“A year ago, my colleagues received this award for the Vilnius Business Center “FLOW”, this year – for two public projects. Whatever the category, I believe that this shows that we are on the right path, and the quality and solutions we offer contribute to the prosperity of all of Lithuania. Thank you to the organizers of the event for the almost two-decade-long initiative that encourages us to move forward,” adds A. Čebanauskas, head of EIKA Construction.