Waking up the sprite – conversation with townscape specialist V.Buinevičius 1

Austėja Masiokaitė
www.kamane.lt, 2014-07-01
Kaukas Stairs. Photo by Austėja Masiokaitė

In brief: Like a number of other objects located more remotely from the main streets of Kaunas, Kaukas Stairs leading up to Žaliakalnis quarter and the pool located on the hill near the stairs are quite forlorn and forgotten by the city inhabitants.

Still, differently from other objects of similar fate, the space called by the name of Kaukas (sprite in English) is able to interest and charm even people who are too young to remember the beautiful times of Kaukas Stairs.

The festival “No Roof” organised recently in this area of Kaunas invited to remember where the stairs led and to think how the space could be revived for a longer period, not only for one festival. Two workshops of ideas were organised in which neighbours of Kaukas and all interested inhabitants discussed how this space could and should change.

In the interview the author speaks with the townscape specialist Vytautas Buinevičius, one of the organisers of the workshops, about the spirit of Kaukas, its importance to the city, where the participants of the workshops searched for it and how they imagine the reborn area of Kaukas Stairs.

According to V.Buinevičius, the pool of Kaukas and the stairs do not strive to become an object of mass attraction; however, it could turn into a cosy place for meetings, small events or walks. This is how the closest neighbours of Kaukas Stairs see the area too.


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