AR ARCHITECTURE
NATIONAL CONCERT HALL , VILNIUS
This is an entry in the 2019 international competition for an iconic world-class cultural building , a 21-century symbol of the independent Lithuania . The project was designed in collaboration with Arup .
The idea – a compact white rectangular colonnade sheltering the inner sacred volume reminiscent of a glowing piece of amber over a reflection pool - was inspired by a metaphor of a hilltop temple . As the visitor moves up the hill towards the “ temple ”, the building unveils itself from different angles . Another reading of the light-filled array of tall slim columns might be a pine forest typical for Baltic countries .
The proposed monumental yet transparent volume , set tangentially to the main city view lines , reinstates the broken urban grid and creates a 24 / 7 , all-year round , all-weather , multi-functional and diverse destination with cultural facilities , exhibitions , co-working spaces , cafes , shops and outdoor activities .
The building is L-shaped with its two auditoriums sitting alongside each other . In front of them , the multi-level fully glazed foyer offers a variety of public functions . It features transparent panoramic lifts , public stairs in the centre leading all the way to the rooftop and a large spiral stair at the end of the Main Hall . The foyer absorbs the views of the downtown across the river to the North , the rooftop restaurants provide panoramas of the old town to the East . The boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces , defined by a frameless curtain wall , is almost non-existent . Behind the halls is the back-of-stage block . Some of the National Philharmonic Orchestr ’ s rehearsal spaces in the basement can be overlooked from the park .
The Main hall provides state-of-the-art natural acoustic performance designed by Arup . The Small hall allows multiple transformations for a broad range of cultural events .
The building aims to achieve at least class A + of energy efficiency and set a regional benchmark for sustainable design and resilience against climate change .
AR Architecture is a firm of Architects and Interior designers with offices in London and Porto , distinguished by its award-winning design , international expertise and local capability . Founded 10 years ago in London , the practice gets involved in a broad range of high-end residential , commercial and hospitality projects .
The practice is experienced in the most complex jobs and has won many national and international awards .
In the UK , the company ’ s services span from feasibility studies to statutory approvals ( including heritage buildings ), and from architectural design to project management during construction .
In Portugal , together with local partners , AR Architecture offers turn-key solutions from an investment opportunity to a completed project .
T + 44 ( 0 ) 207 209 2851 W www . ar-arch . co . uk E info @ ar-arch . co . uk
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