LEGENDARY VERSALIS IS TRYING TO REVIVE IN KAUNAS 0
According to the minutes of KAUET
www.kamane.lt , 2008 02 10
In brief: Kaunas Architects and Urbanism Experts’ Council (KAUET) considered offers of architects and investors how historical buildings and quarters of the city centre could be adapted to the needs of the 21st century without affecting the value of historicity. Revival of Versalis is among the considered projects.
The following projects were considered:
1. Project offers for reconstruction of administrative building wing premises and construction of new wings at K.Donelaičio Str. 33 (arch. Žilvinas Radvilavičius).
2. Reconstruction of the building at Laisvės Alley 90 adapting it to the needs of a hotel (designed by JAS UAB, head of the project – Virginijus Juozaitis).
3. Pre-project offers of the quarter framed by Laisvės Al. 88, Vasario 16-osios Str. 1, 2, 3, 3a, 3b and Streets of Vasario 16-osios, Laisvės Al., L.Sapiegos, K.Donelaičio (arch. Rimas Adomaitis).
1. Project offers for reconstruction of administrative building wing premises and construction of new wings at K.Donelaičio Str. 33 (arch. Žilvinas Radvilavičius, customer Invalda Real Estate UAB).
According to Ž.Radvilavičius, a building of one floor is offered from the side of K.Donelaičio Street, two-storey building and an above-ground automobile garage from the yard side and an underground garage under the wing is offered.
After expressing remarks about the project, the experts disapproved of it. The following works should be done taking into regard the following recommendations: to present a further urbane context, to respect the architecture of the administrative building designed by A.Sprindys leaving the main doors in the old place, to enlarge the height of the designed building, the wing should contrast with the present building or be harmonised with it.
2-3. Reconstruction of the building at Laisvės Alley 90 adapting it to the needs of a hotel (designed by JAS UAB, head of the project – Virginijus Juozaitis); pre-project offers of the quarter framed by Laisvės Al. 88, Vasario 16-osios Str. 1, 2, 3, 3a, 3b and Streets of Vasario 16-osios, Laisvės Al., L.Sapiegos, K.Donelaičio (arch. Rimas Adomaitis).
According to R.Adomaitis, the pre-project offers are presented. Volumes, masses of buildings and development directions are important. As the order is to design the reconstruction of Versalis building, the idea appeared to model the surroundings of the entire quarter. There are two real objects to be developed in the quarter: Versalis and the municipality. Three variants are presented illustrated by separate models.
After consideration the decision was accepted to approve of the project offers for reconstruction of the building at Laisvės Al. 90 adapting it to the needs of the hotel. The project should be developed further taking into regard the opinion of the majority of experts – the designed volume should be plastic, soft and the superstructure should be drawn back.
It was also decided to approve of the pre-project offers for the quarter framed by Laisvės Al. 88/ Vasario 16-osios 1, 2, 3, 3a, 3b, and Streets Vasario 16-osios, Laisvės Al., L.Sapiegos, K.Donelaičio taking into regard the experts’ conclusions that the most acceptable is the second variant of the internal space and volume of the quarter, the first variant of interpreting heritage buildings and the idea of an underground garage is the most acceptable.
Prepared by Jūratė Merkevičienė