Lukishkiu Square / Tuleikis + Antinis + Vaikšnoras + Lanauskas + Vaitiekūnas
The design team of L. Tuleikis, R. Antinis, K. Vaikšnoras, K. Lanauskas, and P. Vaitiekūnas shared their competition entry for the renovation of Lukishkiu Square in Vilnius, Lithuania. The competition highlighted “freedom” as the square was established for a memorial space. The team’s proposal consists of a gently carved out central Freedom Field, surrounded by sculptural compositions and an external flame along the perimeter of the site.
More about the entry after the break.
The Freedom Field, a large indentation in the ground, “cradles” those walking in the memorial area. “This indentation penetrates through all historical and cultural layers right to the roots of our national identity, it also reaches the authentic surface of the beginnings of Vilnius,” explained the team.
The surrounding buildings are erased from viewers’ sight as they descend into the square. By only seeing the trees of the surrounding streets, the user is able to focuses on the memorial area without being distracted. The square creates an isolated and quiet space right in the middle of the chaotic city.
The Lead Path brings users directly to the Freedom Field. The path represents the long hard years Lithuania endured to keep it’s freedom. As users stroll along the descending and ascending path, sculptural compositions outline the four historical stages of Lithuania.
The white wall, known as “the road”, acts as a timeline of the country’s history and voids in the wall accent important happenings. These voids allow visitors to walk through openings in the wall “thus presupposing his presence in the most important times of Lithuanian history”. These breaks bring viewers to pause stations designed specifically for reflection. “The lead path encourages the visitor to fuse together with the time of both this moment and the past,” explained the team.
The team’s proposal was selected along with 7 other projects for review, and it also received additional awards.
NOTABLE!!!
Distinción Máxima!!!
this one is quite nice,
the best proposal for that competition so far
More info about this contest you can find here:
http://www.architektusajunga.lt/LT.php?content=page&Id=587
the gentle stumbling down to the anticipated lifting, the scale of us measured by what will remain not a human hero-god, our scratched passage on the walls of the grotto, thank you!
very interesting and innovative, but i still think that this place needs something else, just to keep the same atmosphere an charm as the whole Gediminas avenue has. well it`s difficult to define WHAT exactly… :)
Im not familiar with this particular space, but I think important squares of the city should gather people who can rest, talk or exchange ideas there. The space should be in “human scale” so one would feel good coming there. I think this project repeats the modernist mistake – good form, but without predicting how people will feel there.It would surely be good as memorial, but not too much as a square. Of course I could be wrong, maybe architects analised the city and thought there is enough “human scale” space around and they can create massive empty space.
The Aesthetics in the project comes from that silence.. the very idea behind is very inspiring especially making the user to keep himself away from the chaotic surrounding.. simple idea translated to such a good project.. great work
i personally feel it is towards SANAA type of architecture which is all abot space and the user..
oh.it’s like one of my friend’s project,that look like a memorial…
It reminds me the Plaza Espana by Herzog & de Meuron
It looks like a giant electric Wok appliance: http://www.teppan.ch/wp-content/teppan_yaki_wok_tischgrill/2007/02/wok_500.jpg
And even though it’s sleek and modern I would have to agree with Mr. Nowicki – the space there already lacks life – doing this to it will only make it worse. I imagine, I won’t feel good being there – playing guitar or blowing bubbles with a hundred different people. Our city can still boast having many green areas and I would like to keep it that way.
Thank you all for your comments.
At the first stage of competition when we use the hard coating for the field, our excavation was deeper, the space was much more like an amphitheater. At the second stage of competition when we changed the hard coating into the grass lawn, we have spent a lot of time analyzing the depth and area ratio of the different existing spaces, until we found right. We believe that this is a comfortable space in that meaning, how comfortable space is a big amphitheater. We did not try to give to this area too much be cozy, since the Freedom have not be cozy.
I think rain could cause a big problem here..
My first thought precisely. Unless the desire is to allow the space to change from park to pond, depending upon the weather…!
It would be a very interesting experience being in the space. It’s simple which works well for a memorial. I’m not too familiar with the project or the history of the place, but I’m not too crazy about the name ‘Freedom Field’, it’s a bit tacky… it makes me want to roll my eyes. But beautiful proposal, I’d love to see it.
the single undulation fails to produce any intimate spaces or anything human scale in the park, and the surrounding pathways seem to be too closed off and claustrophobic-I’d hate to have to cross the park at night.
I think there needs to be more play, more personality rather than grand form-the project is too big- but not to the point that the central ideas are lost
All this is going to do is turn into a giant bog!
it is so nice.