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15 minutes remember that on Monday the ideas for the architecture competition for the Vokiečių street in the capital were announced. A total of 18 participants presented them, they will be evaluated not only by Lithuanians, but also by Estonian and UK experts.
You can find more visualizations and explanatory notes for participants. here.
Criticism on social networks
Immediately after that, an avalanche of criticism spread on social media.
Former member of the Vilnius Council, public figure Mark Adam Harold called one of the examples submitted to the competition a “lobotomy of creativity”.
“I have no idea what the creativity lobotomy needs to do to create such ideas and present them to potential clients without dying of shame,” he said on Facebook.
Visualization of the contest participant / Works of the participants of the Vokiečių street reconstruction contest
“Most of the proposals seem to be designed as if you were planning to create them outdoors, with no connection to the existing architecture, its scales, the texture of the buildings in the old town,” wrote conservative Mantas Adomėnas.
“For several times, the relationship of the architects who enter the old town with history is best seen through the prism of the event: what do these cubes, rectangles, slabs and monoliths refer to? To CAC below right / left (as you looked at it). Without connection with the previous Vilnius ”, assured the philosopher Vilius Bartninkas.
Meanwhile, Karolis Žukauskas, advisor to the mayor of the Vilnius municipality, publicly admitted that a large part of the competition’s work could not withstand criticism.
“Well, but we have the situation that we have, the school of architecture of urban spaces is not the strongest in our country, so we have already talked to the mayor with the mayor. Architect, that important projects need to attract participants from the Netherlands or similar strong countries, perhaps even Lithuanian diplomats with the help of, “he wrote on Facebook.
“Upper and Lower” Leagues
Mindaugas Pakalnis, Vilnius’ chief architect, agreed with the critic and believes that some architects understood the meaning of the competition in too limited a way. According to him, the certificate of lost historical objects is not the only objective of the competition.
“Some authors, in my opinion, have paid too much attention to this, and there is more competition here to find a solution to a vibrant space that has elements of history that we can show and emphasize. It was necessary to find a stage for creating a vibrant space, and for those works that entered visual effects, this is not the place, “said the interlocutor.
Sigismund Gedvila / 15min photo / Mindaugas Pakalnis
It is true, M. Pakalnis pointed out that among the works presented there are those who answer the necessary questions for the city. Although he assured that the ideas could be divided into “two leagues: higher and lower.”
“In general, the general understanding in Lithuania of what is a good, orderly and well-functioning public space is slightly less than the understanding of those countries that have a better tradition in landscape and public space design. In many cases, we see public spaces as a block drawing. And people with that attitude are very wrong, “he said.
Visualization of the contest participant / Works of the participants of the Vokiečių street reconstruction contest
In the opinion of the chief architect of Vilnius, the phenomenon of Savičius, Islandijos and Vilnius streets should not be repeated everywhere and another night street should be created. Rather, it should be the connector that connects them.
“This is one of the most important elements of the great pedestrian circle of the city. She already has her own image, a user, we just have to write that story more. Already 20 years ago, most people would have advocated the restoration of a demolished building, now, apparently, the understanding has changed and people want a public space. That public space that is there has its own aura and user. That needs to be supported ”, M. Pakalnis is convinced.
Irmantas Gelūnas / 15min photo / “Dinner in the sky” moment
I would love to see a bolder job
The architect Gediminas Mačiulis, having reviewed the proposed works, 15 minutes He said that while he was still far from the Danish model, he also noticed bolder work. True, in his opinion, some of the ideas are more like the works of landscapers, not architects.
“Some of the works started not from thought, architecture, history, but from some type of landscaping. Such works must be rejected immediately,” he is convinced.
Photo from personal archive / Gediminas Mačiulis
According to G.Mačiulis, public space generally displays the awareness of city residents, communities, and the government. These spaces should not only be aesthetic, but also attract citizens to meet and communicate, but compared to other European countries, there are few such places in our country.
“We lack courage, idea, sensitivity, understanding of what space is projected. But that does not mean that cosmetic repairs should be done. This street could act as an interactive street with its own history, and some works even propose to leave the remains of old buildings open. This is a great idea. Some works offer chandeliers or garden walls reminiscent of an old building. I would not be afraid of these things and would do everything boldly. This space could function as a large sculpture that could attract not only Lithuanians, but foreigners as well, “said the architect.
Visualization of the contest participant / Works of the participants of the Vokiečių street reconstruction contest
There was a lack of discussion
The urban planner Martynas Marozas assured that he did not want to criticize the works. However, he drew attention to the task of the competition itself, which, in his opinion, had not been fully discussed with the public.
“The discussions were a reaction to the prepared design solutions. <...> But there is still no such consensus between the public and professionals about what to do there. “Perhaps it is a little stronger to restore the old building, perhaps to make it meaningful with landscape architecture and other means, or perhaps it can offer a completely modern expression and turn that public place into something like what is happening in Denmark or other countries, “he said.
Photo by Saulius Žiūra / Head of the Neris Martynas Marozas River Embankment Implementation Group
Maroz explained that he did not want to criticize the participants because they provided what is codified in the competition task. However, according to the urban planner, the task is not clear or allows deviating from the current situation, so the range of solutions is quite diverse.
“Will this competition end with the winner, the signing of the contract and the implementation of the project? I’m still not 100% sure of that yet. Because it seems to me that there has been a bit of a lack of discussion in society and a general consensus on what we would like to see in this area, I still don’t see it, ”he assured.
Visualization of the contest participant / Works of the participants of the Vokiečių street reconstruction contest
The winner is expected to be chosen in July.
15 minutes Remember that in July 2020, after the selection of the winning project, a contract will be signed with the team of architects and landscape architects that prepared it for the preparation of the technical design.
The architecture competition was announced in March by the Vilnius City Municipality and the Lithuanian Union of Architects.
According to M. Pakalnis, the time has come for street renovation: approximately a year later, the technologically necessary renovation of the main central heating route will be planned, so both the paving of the pedestrian and small footpaths must be removed architectural elements.
On June 16, starting at 11 a.m., a meeting of the competition evaluation committee will be held virtually. The members of the commission will award points to the projects submitted in accordance with the evaluation criteria listed in the tender conditions: urban integrity, original and integrated idea and innovation, and compliance with the principle of sustainable development. The offer price criteria will also be evaluated. A summary of the scores will clarify the preliminary ranking of the projects, which can be corrected with information on the insufficient ratings of the project developers.
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