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Once an architectural vision has already been discussed by the public, the folks at Panevėžys are putting it on the table again after the designers changed an essential detail on it.
The project of the new Panevėžys bus station prepared by the studio of one of the most famous Lithuanian architects, the winner of the National Prize for Culture and Art Rolandas Palekas, did not leave the projected tower with a clock on the corner of Savanorių square on J. Basanavičiaus street. The designers planned another location for this 20-meter high building.
They are in competition with the theater
According to R. Palek, one of the main reasons for the decision to change the location of the tower is its competition with the construction of the J. Miltinis Drama Theater, which can be seen from afar. “
We were constantly being asked about the location of the tower. Coming from Vilnius along J. Basanavičiaus street and approaching the city center, it is obvious that the dominant feature of this place is the silhouette of the J. Miltinis Drama Theater building. After checking, we saw that the tower closest to J. Basanavičiaus street would really cover it unpleasantly, ”said the architect.
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The designers chose a new location for the tower after preparing several design variants. Now it is placed a little deeper, in the middle of the block, between the future platform of the station and the square.
According to R. Palek, the building located in the middle of the Savanori plaza square will further serve its purpose. The tower, with a clock on top, would become part not only of the new station, but also of the future new park planned on the site of the current station platform, the connection between these two new urban spaces.
According to the architect, by changing the location of the tower and slightly lowering the building, it will not become a courbana, as the silhouette of the church is visible from everywhere, but rather a more local accent dedicated only to this part of the city.
“The architect is not programmed. Believe and think, believe and think. If you are still not satisfied with something, always try as hard as possible to find the best option. Now you are watching the process when the architects in our studio weren’t completely satisfied with what they were proposing, they rethought it again and now offer another location for the tower. We observe the process creatively and try to find the best possible solution, ”says the studio director.
The observation deck will not work
The designers decided to abandon the idea of installing an observation deck on top of the clock tower in the original version of the station project. According to R. Palek, such a decision was dictated by the specifics of the place itself: the Savanori square is in a peculiar valley, the surrounding streets, most of the old town and the Freedom square are on a higher level. .
“By installing an observation deck on the tower, we would put too much effort and nothing effective would be seen from there. That image cannot even be compared to the view from the top floor of the Panevėžys hotel ”, motivates the architect.
In addition, according to him, when installing the observation deck, not only stairs but also an elevator should be installed in the tower, which would significantly change the proportions of the building.
“The tower would become thick and elegant,” says Palekas.
According to him, the building of the future bus station itself is quite large, architecturally ambitious and due to the designed underground site and the rather expensive object, solutions should be chosen carefully.
Project above and below ground
After the architects changed the location of the tower, the bus station project remains as it was presented to the residents of Panevėžys in August last year.
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According to the prepared vision, buses would enter the station from the south side of Plaza Savanorių, and a green plaza is planned in the northern part of it, where the paved bus platform is currently located.
This – lawns, trees, benches, paths, flowers, lamps – will be located on the platform of the current bus station, near the old town, closer to the existing pedestrian paths, and from the south side of the square it will be significantly reduced and it will be the most welcoming platform of the new station.
According to R. Palek, people waiting for the bus will be able to spend time not only at the station, not only under the roof, but also on the green, and most importantly, in a safe square. In this way it will gain life, cafes and services can be built in it, cars will not be circulated through it, since it will now be a pedestrian zone.
The station building itself is designed in an irregular trapezoidal shape. Its facades will be made of transparent glass. Inside, there is a passenger lounge of approximately 160 square meters, a cafeteria of 50 square meters, a ticket office, a driving room, a luggage and parcel section, a dispatch center, an information service and sanitary facilities and administrative.
The new station platform does not have parking spaces for separate directions – the same parking lots will be used at different times by buses traveling in different directions. The designers note that it no longer makes sense to install many boarding areas when roads can be used by coordinating bus schedules.
A 92-story underground parking garage is planned to be installed under the station building and platform.
Construction will begin next year
A draft of the future station with a modified tower location will be submitted for public consideration on December 3.
According to Tomas Jukna, director of the municipal administration of Panevėžys, it is planned to have a building permit and announce a public procurement of contract works in February.
“The acquisition of objects of this size takes about two months and it is likely that we will see the first construction works in May,” says T. Jukna.
It is estimated that the construction of the new station with a spacious underground site may tentatively cost around 3 million. euros. According to the director of the administration, part of these funds is expected to be delivered in the municipal budget for next year. Construction of the station is expected to take a couple of years.
“It is planned that by the end of 2022 or early 2023 it will be possible to open a new station,” said T. Jukna.
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