Julius Seniūnas+Dalia Puodžiūtė
The gymnasium for the youth of Vilnius, becoming a missing link in the existing natural/urban fabric
Considering the very natural context rich with valuable pine tree groves as well as the urban character distinguished by a very pronounced structure of adjacent streets, the project site is designed to form another alley, which becomes the axis of the whole project and an urban argument that harmoniously integrates into the existing environment by forming a missing street – an ‘Alley’.
The fundamental principle of the design of the gymnasium is the positioning and shaping of the buildings in order to responsibly preserve as many of the existing valuable trees as possible. The ‘Alley’ becomes a public indoor space and a central core with plug-in volumes meandering in between the tree clusters, becoming a functional space full of diverse activities, generating a variety of democratic spaces, and stimulating the exchange of knowledge between the students.
Annex volumes – such as circular-shaped sports hall, circular-shaped event venue, wooden library and art classrooms, greenhouse laboratories, and brickwork facade canteen provide a diversity of smaller inner yards enhancing the existing pine trees that are enriched with new plantings with selected species that are native to the area. Those plug-in volumes are designed to accommodate a broader spectrum of community needs and are provided with autonomous entrances.
A nature-friendly and sustainable approach to design creates identity by linking the inside and the outside – an architectural design grows into an organism organically blending together with its surroundings. The ‘Alley’ becomes an axis connecting multifunctional school program and enriching the existing infrastructure by becoming a symbiosis between the city and nature.
Authors: Julius Seniūnas+Dalia Puodžiūtė.
Landscape architects: Agnė Dailidaitė+Donatas Baltrušaitis+Rasa Pilkauskaitė.
Website: bauland.lt
Location: Lithuania.
Year: 2023
Competition: Competition for Verkiai gymnasium in Vilnius.
Prize: 4th prize.