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S t. An educational institution, a hotel and new public spaces are projected on the territory of Jacob’s Hospital. The Vilnius City Municipality approved the technical design and issued a permit to rebuild the buildings of the old hospital.
The management of the old long-abandoned site is scheduled to be completed in 2022, and investment in this project will reach 45 million. euros. According to Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Šimašius, the project developers listened to feedback from the city’s communities and institutions, resolutely stopped the project and started everything from a white paper and found a sustainable solution.
“The fluid combination of cultural heritage and urban development is a challenge that opens up the potential of the city’s historic sites. This project is an example of how, by taking the time to have an in-depth discussion with the community, institutions can make a breakthrough in areas that have been languishing for many years, ”says Vilnius City Mayor R. Šimašius.
According to the mayor, employees of the municipality and the Department of Cultural Heritage (CRD) have contributed to the improvement of this project in recent years, representatives of the public architects who found a solution that fit the context.
“We are happy with the result of a long and hard work and with the future changes. The current architectural project will guarantee respect for nearby heritage objects and will allow the revitalized neighborhood to be integrated into the central part of the city”, says the architect head of Vilnius Mindaugas Pakalnis.
The renovated neighborhood will consist of St. The Church of the Apostles Felipe and Santiago, the Monastery of the Dominicans, the reconstruction of four buildings of the old hospital that have been abandoned, the inner garden open to the public and a new building next door: the Hotel 4-star Clarion with conferences. center.
“Solutions to the architectural vision, which has radically changed from that presented three years ago, were not sought through lengthy and often unproductive court disputes, but through intense and meaningful discussions with the Lithuanian Syndicate of Architects and heritage specialists. The new conversion project proposed by the developer together with the architects responds much better to the expectations of the public and the interests of the heritage and ensures a better harmony with the adjacent historical buildings ”, comments Vidmantas Bezaras, director of the CRD.
The neighborhood renovation concept stipulates that the church and monastery spaces will remain protected and intact. Cozy and lively public spaces will be created for citizens in the landscaped area: there will be a garden in the historic courtyard, where you can listen to carillon music concerts, a quarter of the entire plot and the surrounding area will be planted with greenery and plants.
Representatives of small businesses will be able to build on the first floor of the newly built hotel: shops, bookstores, cafes, a new two-way bike path will be built along J. Tumo-Vaižganto street, which will connect the White Bridge with Lukiškės Square. , and a new public pedestrian walkway overlooking the newly reborn historic complex.
“We sincerely believe in the new vision of the territory and that its integration into the historical and cultural strata of Vilnius will be moderate and harmonious. While we are satisfied with the results, it should be noted that there are still a number of gaps in spatial planning processes that need to be addressed out loud with politicians and responsible authorities, ”said Karolis Tuinyla, Manager of the Special Fund IV of Lords LB .
The project, which included a hotel and offices, was first presented to the public in March 2018, but was halted after receiving feedback on the architectural solutions for the designed buildings.
Heritage conservationists have taken the initiative to develop individual site protection regulations that define the valuable features of the complex.
The architecture studio DO Architects, which won the renewed open international architecture competition in 2019, offered a new solution for the development of a plot of high architectural and urban quality.
In the new project, there were no superstructures, the height was limited, and the area of new buildings was reduced. Initially, no educational activities were planned on the site, but in response to suggestions and needs from the public, investors proposed to establish adapted spaces for educational functions instead of offices.
