News

With the completion of public procurement procedures, an important phase in the project for renovation of the Vilnius Railway Station territory “Vilnius Connect” is finalised – the London-based firm Zaha Hadid Architects was officially named the winner of the architectural competition to redevelop the railway hub in Vilnius.

 

The world’s top architecture firm proposed the ‘Green Connect’ concept and received the highest score in the international competition initiated by Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (LTG) Group and Vilnius City Municipality last year. The winning team’s designers have extensive experience in designing detailed projects that also include the Rail Baltica railway station in Tallinn.

 

After the end of the competition, LTG will analyse different financing options for the design of the Vilnius railway station complex. The next stages of the project and their duration will depend on the chosen option.

 

A 9,500 m² construction above the tracks to connect the station and the Naujininkai district

 

One of the architectural solutions proposed by Zaha Hadid Architects incorporates a 9,500 m² construction over the railway tracks to connect the Naujininkai district with the New Town and the Old Town. This constructure should host commercial spaces and a new passenger waiting area with direct access to the platforms. The project also plans comfortable connections for pedestrians and cyclists over the railway tracks. According to Vilnius Chief Architect Mindaugas Pakalnis, the concept proposed by Zaha Hadid Architects studio will harmoniously enrich the architectural face of the city and will serve as a catalyst for revitalization of the entire station district and Naujininkai.

 

“One of the main criteria for evaluating the works was contextual appropriateness of the design, assessment of the city’s problems/ urban issues, and potential for providing best fit solutions to resolve them. Today the rails impose an obstacle separating two neighbourhoods, i.e., the Naujininkai district and the Old Town, it is therefore important to connect the district with the city centre. The architectural solutions proposed by Zaha Hadid Architects create the conditions for a closer integration of Naujininkai with the Naujamiestis and the Old Town, adequately respond to the changing mobility needs of residents and passengers. The project plans more connections for cyclists and pedestrians, more green spaces, and leisure zones – which means more life in the district, more potential to develop commercial activities, open restaurants and cafes, other entertainment and leisure facilities,” says M. Pakalnis.

 

The idea offered by the architects also creates opportunities to convert the nearby industrial neighbourhoods, adapting them for development of public spaces, offices, commercial and service areas. As a result, the currently used industrial areas could be adapted for public needs and construction of office buildings in the future.

 

The station – for recreation and leisure

 

According to Egidijus Lazauskas, CEO of LTG, in the context of implementing the ‘Vilnius Connect’ project for the transformation of the railway and bus station district, it will be aimed, together with the City of Vilnius, to build a modern and high-quality infrastructure for public transport services with comfortable travel and leisure areas.

 

“The increasing numbers of rail passengers and future travel opportunities to be opened up by the Rail Baltica railway line inspire to transform the territory of Vilnius Railway Station and, together with the City of Vilnius, to build an infrastructure of mobility that would represent Lithuania and Vilnius in compliance with the highest quality standards. We aim to create spaces following the best examples of Western European railway stations. The modern station is not just a waiting point, but rather a multifunctional area that meets the needs of travellers and local residents – from sustainable mobility to recreation and leisure,” says E. Lazaukas.

 

According to the proposal of the architect studio that won the competition, the square in front of Vilnius railway station should be also re-designed. In this place, it is proposed to create new green public spaces, prioritising pedestrians and cyclists, and to install a new terminal between the railway and bus stations.

 

Five top winners selected

 

Five participants were recognized as winners in the competition. Finland’s B&M Architects Ltd Arkkitehtuuritoimisto B & M Oy came in second in the competition, followed by Poland’s SBS Engineering Group Sp. z o. o. in the third place, the fourth place went to the joint project of Lithuania’s Archinova and Denmark’s PLH Arkitekter, and the fifth – to the French studio Architectures Anne Démians, after China’s Shenzhen Aube Architectural Engineering Design Co., which failed to submit the necessary qualification and public procurement documents, was removed from the competition.

 

The prize fund of the competition amounts to €120 thousand, of which the first-place winner will receive €50 thousand, the second – €30 thousand, and the third – €20 thousand. The fourth and fifth place tenderers will receive prizes amounting to €10 thousand each. €80 thousand of the prize money was given by LTG, and €40 thousand – by Vilnius City Municipality.

 

The international competition was announced in March last year and works from 33 entrants were received. All the visions of the architects and their authors can be accessed on the project website www.vilniusconnect.lt.

 

The organizers of the architectural competition are LTG, LTG Infra, which manages the railway network in Lithuania and belongs to the LTG Group, and Vilnius City Municipality. The organizer of the competition is represented by the consulting company Civitta and the Lithuanian Association of Architects.