For years, Kaunas has been regarded as one of the most important places on the map of European modernism. In the inter-war period, dozens of buildings were erected in the city centre, which still impress today with their form and artistic expression. Particularly characteristic is V. Putvinskio Street is particularly characteristic, where modernist buildings form a coherent urban fabric and where realisations inspired by the architectural tradition of the 1920s and 1930s are still being created.
A new development on V. Putvinskio in Kaunas
It was in this part of Kaunas that the architectural office G. Natkevičius & Partners designed an elegant six-storey residential building. It was located adjacent to the historic residence of the employees of the Bank of Lithuania. The location required special sensitivity, as the surroundings preserve many valuable buildings of interwar modernism, which are listed as a UNESCO European heritage site.
Architecture inspired by modernism
In its form and details, the new building draws on Kaunas’ modernist traditions. Its facades are characterised by sparing ornamentation and balanced proportions. The composition is based on geometric divisions and vertical accents that provide a balance between functionality and aesthetics. The designers emphasised the importance of natural lighting for the interiors, the comfort of the residents and the coherence of the whole mass. The main façade of the building faces V. Putvinskio Street and contributes to its frontage. To the east, the building is adjacent to existing buildings, while to the west it is separated by a narrow street from the former bank employees’ residential house. The building has the form of a calm cuboid, varied by the rhythm of high, vertical windows. The facades are covered with grey, fine-grained render and the dark window frames add definition and elegance to the overall composition.
Details and references to the tradition of modernism
Simple vertical lines are broken by elements with rounded shapes. The balconies with their soft curves are reminiscent of the interwar period, when Kaunas, as the capital of Lithuania, experienced a real modernist building boom. In the northern part of the building, a fragment of the second floor was protruded, thus giving lightness and dynamism to the whole. The composition is complemented by circular windows placed in unobvious places, which creates additional accents in the façades. One of the most characteristic elements of the front façade is the vertical clearance in the form of an arch, which spans four storeys and opens up a view of the slopes of Žaliakalnis. This motif is reminiscent of the striking portals used in interwar townhouses. Another important accent is the concave south-west corner, which is a visual counterweight to the arch and creates a dialogue with the neighbouring residence.
V. Putvinskio in Kaunas
The design of the G. Natkevičius & Partners office at V. Putvinskio is part of the drive to create architecture that combines utility with respect for the traditions of the place. The clear form and streamlined aesthetics make the building contemporary, yet rooted in Kaunas modernism. The realisation complements the fabric of the city well, but also enriches its architectural identity and bears witness to the permanence and continuity of Kaunas’ modernist heritage.
Project: G. Natkevičius & Partnersarchitectural bureau
Lead architects: L. Lebednykas, M. Bartkutė, A. Rimšelis, G. Natkevičius
Year of completion: 2024
Project location: V. Putvinskio, Kaunas, Lithuania
Photographs: Lukas Mykolaitis
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