“The site for the Banks building was treated as an integral part of the newly formed center on the right riverbank of Neris, which is being developed on the axis of the old Ukmerges street.
At that point meet the Konstitucijos Avenue and the pedestrian street. As a result, this pedestrian street becomes the main axis of the buildings composition, which consists of three main parts.
Firstly, the base of the building emphasizes the line of the street. Secondly, the two towers of 16 and 14 storeys, and thirdly, the horizontal 4-storeyd part are placed on it.
While the essential client service is concentrated on the ground floor, the auditorium and the cafe are placed on the -1st floor.
Great views to Neris riverbank will be open from it. The ground floor, the flowing space of the cafe and the pedestrian street are planned as a public urban space. Separated functional zones are laid out in that space.
The roof of the base is treated as a part of the landscape, so greenery and recreation zones are placed on it.” Description of Audrius Ambrasas Architects.
Audrius Ambrasas commented: “We wanted the building to become an integral part of the development of the Neris Riverright bank, completing it in an original way designing the space around it without becoming the centre of attention.”
The building consists of two main parts. The first is two 15 and 16 storey structures and the second is a lower structure, comprising of two blocks – the broken-lined parterre and the regular four-storey administrative office. The building has a 4500 sq m terrace, constructed on the stylobate part, offering views of the river.
The ground floor, under the terrace, opens into a wide one-piece space. It comprises a café for 150 visitors, both employees and guests of the bank, and also an auditorium for an audience of 150 people and a reading room, in addition to the customer servicing centre and the business centre.
The finish on the blank facade walls has been created by using stainless-metal plates polished in different directions. The ornamental effect was obtained by varying the plate polishing direction which makes the facade look multi-coloured.
Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Architects: Audrius Ambrasas Architects
Design team: Audrius Ambrasas, Vilma Adomonytė, Tomas Eidukevičius, Donatas Malinauskas
Project manager: Saulius Mikaliūnas
Construction: Idea Constructiva
Engineering: COWI Baltic
Area (above-ground): 23,000 sqm
Total area (underground): 19,000 sqm
Client: UAB “Swedbank valda”
Project Year: 2007-2009