Picturesque floodplain of site used as a base for the park. Keeping the “soft” edge of protected waterfront borderline, we remodeled terrain, creating articulated landscape. Park functions as flood barrier, while keeping identity of the site.
Building placed along urban grid of industrial development to the east of the site, setting axes for future development and regeneration of surroundings. The overall scale of building tends to fit similar urban scale of post-industrial buildings at east side of site.
Outstretched volume aligned long side along the river, while shortest elevation faces historical part of Kaunas.
Waterfront north façade is out scale ephemeral floating volume, while south façade, along street subdivided into smaller parts, creating human scale streetscape.
Concert center has required setback from red line of street for creating public square, to the east service area proposed, from two other sides building surrounded by park.
Architectural design
Design consists of set of horizontal layers, laid over the site:
Park – picturesque “soft” edge of waterfront with remodeled articulated landscape reinforces identity of site.
“City’s living room” - fully permeable, all-weather glazed multifunctional public space.
“Cloud” - functional layer, where most of main functions grouped, acts as sort of canopy over vast public space below.
Observation platform – public terrace.
“Cloud” has two “windows” – large glazed walls with balconies. One is functionally conference center, it focused on visual axes towards historical center. Other is secondary hall, by sliding glazing it becomes stage for outdoor city venues. From inside “windows” frame beautiful views of Kaunas.
Design also incorporates four “Moons” – glowing balloons for lighting Observation platform and the Park during major events.
Architectural Design of the Public Spaces
Ground floor represents fully permeable, glazed multifunctional space - “city’s living room”. It connects city square and the park, able to be an extension of either one or other.
Considering local weather conditions, this space is place for events during cold seasons, supplement outdoor public square.
Architectural Design of the Concert Halls
Design of Concert halls carried out with consideration for great flexibility in all possible ways.
Main hall could be used with full stage and flytower, or reconfigured to place additional seats behind and to the sides of orchestra.
Main hall has neutral light interior with wooden lining.
Projection mapping create wow effect of main hall and identity for any specific event.
One of interior features are glazed sidewalls, which curtained if required.
Secondary hall is fully transformable space, providing endless variety of possible configurations.
Secondary hall, by sliding glazing becomes stage for outdoor city venues. Back glazed wall frame beautiful view of riverfront of Kaunas.
Usability – space planning, operations and logistics
Ground floor dedicated for not only pre-function, but also has a variety of possible temporary uses, such as exhibition, education center, lectorium, conference and marketplace.
Sustainability
Energy and carbon efficiency achieving by eliminating unnecessarily conditioning spaces, used for more robust exhibits, or for visitor circulation.
Major elements and materials will be in focused attention to maximize the contribution from recycled or reused elements, in particular for concrete, steel and glass elements.
Local and regional sources will be favored, as this contributes to the regional economy at the same time as reducing the carbon impact of transporting building materials over long distances.
Maintaining tight control in terms of temperature inevitably exact a cost in terms of energy and carbon, therefore the priority is to establish the situations and locations where the highest levels of climate control are essential.
Sanitary ware fixtures will design for efficiency. Recycle and recover water will be used in WC flushing and summertime irrigation, where potable water use is not required.
Ground floor represents fully permeable, glazed multifunctional space - “city’s living room”. It connects city square and the park, able to be an extension of either one or other.
Picturesque floodplain of site used as a base for the park. Keeping the “soft” edge of protected waterfront borderline, we remodeled terrain, creating articulated landscape. Park functions as flood barrier, while keeping identity of the site.
Main hall has neutral light interior with wooden lining.
Projection mapping create wow effect of main hall and identity for any specific event.
One of interior features are glazed sidewalls, which curtained if required.
