EXAM OF NEW ARCHITECTURE IN VILIJAMPOLĖJE AND NEAR KALNIEČIAI PARK 0
According to the minutes of KAUET meeting of 26 11 2008,kamane.lt 2008 12 12
Shortage of ideas is felt in project offers of Vilijampolė Commercial centre and multi-functional complex of buildings in the neighbourhood of Kalniečiai Park, they lack conceptual and aesthetical depth, urbanistic arguements.
This was the decision of Kaunas Architecture and Urbanism Experts‘ Council, which considered the following projects on November 26.
1. Project offers of the commercial trade centre at Jurbarko Str. 5, 7, 7A, 9 and Brastos Str. 19. Designer – Archispektras UAB. Customer - Capital Invest UAB.
2. Project offers of complex of multi-functional buildings with high-rise office buildings, shopping centre-passage and hotel at Savanorių Ave. 339A, 339B to the detailed plan. Designer – Archikadas UAB. Customer - Kauno Parkas UAB.
The meeting was headed by Algimantas Kančas:
1. Project offers of the commercial trade centre at Jurbarko Str. 5, 7, 7A, 9 and Brastos Str. 19. Designer – Archispektras UAB. Customer - Capital Invest UAB.
The detailed plan prepared by Miesto Planas UAB was presented by Nerijus Stanionis: a shopping centre with administrative premises is planned in the area of 1.3 ha. The object is near the old town and bridge to Vilijampolė. It is the buffer zone of the city centre. The centre will serve for residents of this area. The traffic scheme will become clear after performing the reconstruction of the knot.
The architecture was presented by two architects‘ groups, each of them offered their own variant. Experts will have to decide which idea is more acceptable - the clear plastic volume or a composition with the leaning vertical.
After discussing the offers, the council members decided to disapprove of the project offers for the commercial shopping centre at Jurbarko Str. 5, 7, 7A, 9 and Brastos Str. 19. It was recommended to present the object for considerations once again taking into regard experts‘ notes: to present the context and river space analysis, to develop better relation with the old town; to offer smaller buildings, to analyse the morphotype and style of the place; to choose another place for an automobile parking lot; to keep the perimeter construction of Jurbarkas Street; to plan service premises from the yard side; the study of visual impact is necessary.
2. Project offers of complex of multi-functional buildings with high-rise office buildings, shopping centre-passage and hotel at Savanorių Ave. 339A, 339B to the detailed plan. Designer – Archikadas UAB. Customer - Kauno Parkas UAB.
According to A.Žalys, the idea of the project is presented. The project authors are two - Mark Wilson from Denmark and A. Žalys. It is planned to construct the group of high-rise buildings of the business centre with shopping premises in a private land plot near Savanorių Avenue, which is the main artery of the city connecting Kaunas with Vilnius. The place of the land plot is behind McDonalds cafe and Statoil petrol station.
The land plot borders with Kalniečiai Park by two sides. The architects believe that it would be the most purposeful to develop the group of buildings of Kaunas city municipality here combining interests of the society and business.
It is planned to allocate 26 000 sq m for administration, 20 000 sq m for shopping premises, 25 000 sq m for the business centre, a hotel with 220 places should be opened. The area of about 55 000 sq m should be allocated for parking lots.
The architects offer a dominant of business centre of 150 m height (48 floors). This would be the highest building in the Baltic States. The administrative and commercial building would be of 25 floors, total area - 25 000 sq m. The shopping centre-passage would be of 3 floors.
After listening to the offer and discussing the possible solutions, the council members decided to disapprove of the project offers. They recommended to present the project once again taking into regard the following notes: the high-rise buildings are possible in this territory but a visual analysis should be made how they will impact the infrastructure; it is recommended to specify whether the offered height of the vertical is real, how it will affect the context of the city; the experts believe that the designed vertical should not exceed the height of the tower of the Resurrection Church; relations of the planned complex with the adjacent park should be developed; the height of the complex and intensity should be more contextual.
Prepared by Jūratė Merkevičienė