Vainiai Palace rehabilitation „Senatorių pasažas“
Type: Multi-purpose complex
Status: Ongoing
Area: 3400 m²
Year: 2018 - 2021
Location: Dominikonu st. 11, Vilnius, Lithuania
Team: Gilma Teodora Gylytė, Justina Jauniškytė, Dovilė Skrupskelienė, Andrė Baldišiūtė, Sabina Grincevičiūtė, Algimantas Neniškis, Paulius Paskačimas, Milda Grabauskaitė, Domantas Baltrūnas, Emilija Staškutė, Dorotėja Žiugždaitė, Vadim Babij, Ignas Uogintas, Karolina Čiplytė, Eglė Varapeckytė
Awards:
- National Architecture Awards of Lithuania 2023 (NAA) organized by Lithuanian Ministry of Environment: Nominee in the category of ‘renovation of cultural herritage work (Vainiai Palace rehabilitation „Senatorių pasažas“‘
- European Contemporary Architecture Awards "Mies van der Rohe awards”2020-2021 Nominee - Vainiai Palace rehabilitation „Senatorių pasažas“
ENG
The Vainiai Palace – a 400-year-old forgotten heritage object in the centre of Vilnius was opened to the public again. A distinctive project feature is the harmony of professional heritage principles and modern architecture raised above formal requirements – its historical image was all revealed while sensitively adapting the complex for a new function. The project is about rehabilitation of one of the oldest Vilnius family palaces into a vibrant old town quarter. Based on many historical, architectural, polychrome researches, a profound relationship was sought between precious heritage and bright, warm, expressive modern architecture exhibiting 400 years of historical layers. New passage connection between nearby streets creates a vibrant pedestrian passage with 20 restored authentic entrances highlighted by modern details, levitating concrete terraces, and a street fireplace. The project was designed and implemented by maintaining a contact with the surrounding communities as one of the goals of the project was openness to the citizens by establishing a new public space - passage-courtyard. The uncovered appearance of the building is consistent with its urban context, which also changed in a similar historical evolution. Many closed possessional-type estates prohibit public access, while this project created an open space that every citizen can enter and get familiar with the valuable features of the complex. Vilnius Old Town is a World Heritage Site and the project was developed taking into account that it is part of this area. The project preserves all of its previously known valuable features and reveals new ones in the course of the project. All project participants, including the investor, learned a lot during the project, and are proud of the result. From the initial positive feedback from the public, discussions and abundant attendance, it is clear that a professionally restored heritage object improves the public understanding, encourages thinking about heritage that has always been in the vicinity in a different way than before. A number of authentic things were discovered, exposed and opened up to the public with the finish of this project. The goal of the project was to interpret the the rich historical principles in a modern way to create new functions. Thus in a picture, a façade with one of entries from Dominikonų str. can be seen. Historic polychromic research was done on this building facades and dark tones with red inserts were brought back restoring original period colouring.
ESSENCE OF PROJECT
Due to the historical and geopolitical context of Lithuania (wars and fires, developments in society, politics, ideology), many historical buildings have changed very strongly and fundamentally in different periods. Not only the decoration and details, but even the architectural styles have been different. Compared to the development of European heritage, which can be called evolutionary; in Lithuania, the cultural heritage was often changing revolutionarily. The history of the Pocej Palace reflected that change, therefore, this project revealed the historical multi-layered nature of the complex. It took a lot of effort, work and ingenuity to exhibit both historical layers and modern processes, the function, but at the same time allowing to perceive the buildings as a unified complex. We have achieved a result in which the historical changes and elements of modern architecture are revealed, and their combination creates a coherent and harmonious historical complex.
THE SCHEME FOR EVOLUTION OF BUILDING
Historical context
The history of the construction and development of the Pociejai (later Vainiai) Palace covers the 15th - 20th centuries: starting with the merger of several Gothic houses, later reconstructing them into the palace, a residence of the Lithuanian nobles Voyno Yasenetsky and Counts Pocej. Later on Count Umiastovsky adapted it to a multi-unit residential rental building with shops. During the Soviet occupation, the building architecture was partially altered by adapting it to administrative functions and constantly renovating it.
Aim of the project
The aim of the project was to revive the object of cultural heritage by revealing and preserving the authenticity of the complex. During the years 2018 to 2020, with the goal of implementing the aspiration of the new owners of the historic building to open the palace to the public, converting their inner courtyards into a lively and bustling urban space, detailed research was carried out: historical iconography, archaeology, architecture, polychrome, structural and others. The research helped to understand the structure of the palace during the times of their prosperity, somewhat – during their formation and very clearly – during degradation times.
Gothic Houses XV c.
It is believed that within the territory there could have been two possesions with two houses standing along the street and gothic cellars that were found during the research.
Umiastowski house First half of XIX c.
The premises of the palace were rented as apartments, on the ground floor there were bakeries, shops, bookstore of M. Šlapelienė, a tea house.
Gothic Houses XVI c.
An additional house located on the adjacent property was built in the XVI c.
Second half of the XIX c. - First half of the XX c. After complex was nationalized
Window and door openings were greatly reduced and the entrances to the ground floor were bricked up.
Pociejai Palace Second half of XVII c.
The palace complex was expanded towards Stiklių str., the Oficina building was built, and a classicist reconstruction was executed. There was a representitive and service entrance from the side of Stiklių str.
“Senatorių pasažas” multifunctional complex in Vilnius 2020
The passage to the Stiklių str. is restored, entrances from sides of Stiklių str. and Dominikonų str. are restored in the whole complex and the courtyard becomes a public city space.
BEFORE AND AFTER REHABILITATION
The contrast view before and after the rehabilitation (1962 vs. 2020). The small windows of this palace, which we were accustomed to, are not heritage, but rather the hiding of heritage - the Art Deco style windows were simply bricked and levelled in the Soviet era, hiding the palace from the eyes of passers-by. The spacious courtyard was crammed with cars, and the palace itself was turned into a cold, enclosed administrative complex, with no hint of its authentic beauty and majesty.
MATERIALS REVEALED
The history is like a story and can be read through materials. Because the palace was built over a long period of time, the different periods are reflected through the materiality of the facades, exposing various bricks and plaster layers. In the pictures the many historical surfaces of same building complex, which are now exhibited, can be seen.
ATTENTION TO DETAIL
New architectural details such as terraces, roofs, doors and windows are designed in sharpa metal forms to emphasize the sensitive contrast between past and the present. The unique outdoor metal sheet terrace roof serves as extension of interior to the outdoors, which were immediately favoured by people.
THE GLASS ROOF
The glass roof plays an important role in the project to reveal historical architecture of complex. It marks a building that has never been here before the soviet period. During the Soviet era, the palace complex was seemingly glued together into one homogeneous structure when a new building was formed in place of entrance gate. This erased historical differences between buildings and architectural layers. This transparent structure helps to distinguish the historical XVII c. buildings of different functions: the Palace and the Oficina. As well as it helps to restore the historical street rooftop line.
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