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Having served until now as a place for pet walks, events, picnics and volleyball games, Nemunas Island, where the stadium of the basketball club Žalgiris is already located, has recently become the most royal construction site: they are being built four big projects at the same time: pedestrians and bicycles. The bridge, a multifunctional nautical sports center, the area of Nemunas Island itself are being managed, and now the foundations of the Island of Sciences have been prepared.
The Minister of Education, Science and Sports, Algirdas Monkevičius, who participated in the capsule burial ceremony on a sunny Thursday morning, highlighted Kaunas’ leadership in harmonizing Lithuania, creating a harmony between sport, health and science in one place.
“How can Lithuania prosper? When children become acquainted with science from an early age, they will see what it can do, they will get to know the world. This center will allow the knowledge of man, his unlimited potential. Kaunas will attract many children who they will become talents that will create the prosperity of Lithuania. 18 million euros is a very successful investment, which returns billions and the success of Lithuania. An excellent investment in the dissemination of science, “said the minister.
The Ministry allocated 18 million euros for this project, Municipality of the city of Kaunas – 10 million. The exhibition itself will cost 6 million. EUR (VAT included). The value of the entire project is about 32 million. EUR (VAT included).
The mayor of Kaunas, Visvaldas Matijošaitis, equated the preparation of this project with bloody work, but in the course of it the first international architecture competition was organized in Lithuania. The mayor said he was satisfied that the money “not only goes to the streets, squares, but also to the heads of children, youth and adults.”
Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Visvaldas Matijošaitis and Algirdas Monkevičius
“I am glad that the center is built by a Kaunas company, not by the Turks,” smiled V. Matijošaitis, remembering the failed contract for the construction of the Kaunas stadium.
Juozas Kriaučiūnas, director of the UAB Autokaustos, which is building the Island of Science, promised that the project will be implemented in a timely and high-quality manner: “Because our children will improve here. It is not just a building, it is our future. We promise as a Kaunas company ”.
11.5 thousand kv. The building with a total area of m and energy efficiency class A ++ was designed by the Spanish and Australian architecture firm SMAR Architecture Studio, and the technical part was implemented by a team of architects led by Gintautas Natkevičius.
V. Matijošaitis: “I am glad that the center is built by a company from Kaunas, not by the Turks.”
“It just came to our knowledge then. I am glad that we are developing it with a noble, complex and unique building. It is a complicated process because there was nothing to wait for. We are second in history. We got in touch with Australian architects and they sent us the message that it is great that Kaunas keeps its word from day one. Here, the base is already emerging. In this way, Kaunas forms for them the image of a respectable city. We are sending that message to the world. ” said architect G. Natkevičius.
Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Start of the construction of the “Island of Science”
A “tablet” will fly over the island
The exterior of the building will be dominated by concrete and glass, but much of the museum’s roof will be planted and walkable. The decoration of the building will be a “disk” 21 meters in diameter inclined over the entrance to the museum. This will probably be the most expensive part of the building.
“It will look like a huge disk, a huge metal ingot with a diameter of 30 meters, floating in the air. It will only hit the ground at one point. The emphasis will appear to contradict all the laws of science. A kind of “tablet” floating over the island. Australian architects had drawn a red line on what needed to be implemented. We try to negotiate with the builders, but this symbol will remain unique, “said G. Natkevičius.
Kaunas City Municipality Photo / “Island of Science” Display
“The disc will be specially made of metal beams, its base will be much heavier than the top to keep the weight balanced. Another equally impressive space is the exhibition hall, which will surprise visitors with its space and volume, ”said Vilius Šiliauskas, director of the Kaunas Municipal Administration, about one of the highlights of the main building.
Visitors to the unique museum will be greeted by permanent and changing exhibits, a virtual projection space, STEAM laboratories and cafes in front of the old town.
The construction will penetrate 4 meters underground. A planetarium will be installed in the lowest room.
“The Australians wanted two floors underground, but we agreed that it was not necessary because of the danger of the water level. However, construction is taking place on the island, “said G. Natkevičius.
According to him, 4 meters of earth was dug, it turned out that it was very poor, so the piles had to be dredged.
For both small and large
Inside the scientific center, a space for virtual projections will be highlighted. The visualizations will be used to present various natural phenomena, such as a journey through the ocean floor, the jungle, or even the human body.
“It just came to our knowledge then. I remember walking through a center like that in Japan, it seemed that I was getting into a fantasy space. I would never have thought that this would happen to us, that it would be part of the company that created” Science Island ” in Kaunas. We fought with Vilnius for this project. Ignorance, mystery, challenge prevailed. More than 100 architectural projects from all over the world participated in the architecture competition. A large group of specialists entered Kaunas, Lithuania. Later , Vilnius called and asked how we did it.
I guarantee you will forget your time when you come to this place. Usually in museums nothing can be touched by hand, but here it will be the other way around: visitors will be encouraged to touch and feel everything first, and only later if they are interested in reading about the phenomenon or object. Here everything will be experienced drinking and playing ”, said the architect prof. Jonas Audėjaitis.
Later Vilnius called and asked how we did it.
The purchase of a permanent exhibition will be announced early next year. The winner of the contest must design and install an exhibition of 7 themes. Most of the exhibits in the Science Museum will be dedicated to children ages 7 to 14, but adults won’t be disappointed either. The exhibition, which has more than 150 pieces, is designed in such a way that complex phenomena and scientific achievements can be understood by testing them independently.
What will the permanent exhibition consist of?
The theme of the Science Center will include three thematic axes: “Man” (development and achievements of the life sciences); “Machine” (technological development and achievements), “Ecology and nature” (earth, air, space, water, fire, animal). The exhibition will address 7 themes based on the goals of sustainable development.
Erik Ovcharenko / 15min photo / Start of the construction of the “Island of Science”
Visitors will be introduced to in an inclusive and understandable way how the human body works, what health challenges we face, and how a variety of technologies are used to live longer and better. We will see where and how food comes from in our buildings and what food we will eat in the future. We will learn about the natural phenomena that affect our lives and how the habits of the inhabitants of the earth affect the environment, what visible and invisible pollution surrounds us and how we can avoid it.
“In the energy exhibition, we will not only learn from what different sources and how electricity is generated, how it is transmitted and stored, but we will also create energy ourselves and look for the most efficient ways to create energy,” said J. Audėjaitis.
Another part of the exhibition will be dedicated to transportation: why airplanes fly, balloons take off, cars move forward, and ships don’t sink. In the museum, visitors will learn about the laws of science that drive movement around the world, but will also look for ways in which we can move more harmoniously. No less important is the movement there, not only by means of transport, but also by invisible communications, so it will be possible to familiarize yourself with the operation of information transmission systems, such as the Internet.
The science center will not forget even the youngest visitors to the center, who still cannot read or count, but are no less curious and curious for that. In the specially adapted part of the exhibition, scientific phenomena will be presented in colors, sounds and adventures.
STEAM laboratories
Another unique highlight of Science Island are the so-called STEAM labs. They will be able to participate in formal education lessons, as well as various clubs and other extracurricular activities.
“In the biology-chemistry, physics-engineering, computer-robotics and smart city laboratories, students will be able to apply theoretical knowledge in practice, all equipment and the program will be coordinated with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports. These laboratories will operate in the common system of Lithuanian STEAM centers, which operates in ten regions of Lithuania, ”said J.Audėjaitis.
It is expected that around 300 thousand people receive in Kaunas and tourist attraction center per year. visitors.
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