Vilnius residents and city guests can already notice the emerging contours of the new business center "Sąvaržėlė" Constitution Avenue. Construction here is gaining momentum - the building's heights are rising rapidly, and intensive facade installation work is underway. This week, the project authors themselves - representatives of the world-famous British architecture studio RSHP - are visiting the capital, closely monitoring the progress of their first project in the Baltic States.
The architects came to Lithuania to visit the construction site of "Sąvaržėlė" and discuss the construction progress and issues arising during the development of the facility with the project partners. The authors of the business center last visited Lithuania in the fall of last year.
“Every visit to the construction site is an opportunity to experience how our work takes shape. This is our first project in the Baltics, so it is very important for us to be physically there – to feel the context of Vilnius, see how the building fits into the city, and make sure that it meets our design standards of quality, aesthetics and sustainability. Vilnius is a capital city that stands out for its compact scale and harmoniously combines the old and the modern city,” said Jack Evans-Newton, associate partner at RSHP and project architect.
When designing the new business center in Vilnius' central business district, the architects aimed for the building to reflect the cultural and commercial environment surrounding the business district with its two offset rectangular volumes.
"Sąvaržėlė" is characterized by unconventional engineering and architectural solutions. The unconventional solutions begin already in the underground part. The building is without supporting columns in the above-ground part, the structure consists of four cores and everything else is supported on metal structures. Such structures are more often found in Great Britain. They are chosen to lighten the building and are creatively displayed on the facades. This is the creative design of RSHP.
"Construction is moving forward rapidly - the monolithic cores of the building have been completed, steel structures are being installed, and the underground is approaching." parking lots "It is extremely important for us that architects visiting Lithuania can observe the progress of this modern business center developing and becoming an important part of the city's skyline," said Ieva Antanaitytė–Genevičienė, fund manager at Lords LB Asset Management.
Currently, the project has completed the construction of monolithic reinforced concrete cores up to the 7th floor. Steel structures are currently being installed on floors 6 and 7, and 50 percent of the concrete slabs on floor 5 have already been installed. Concreting works will soon be completed on the second floor of the underground parking lot. Heating, ventilation and electrical installation works are currently being carried out in the parking lot.
In addition, double glass facades are being actively installed, which will make the most of natural light. This abundance of light will improve the well-being of employees located in the business center and reduce energy costs. Business center Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2025.
The total leasable area of the business center "Sąvaržėlė", the construction of which began in early 2024, will reach almost 21 thousand sq. m. m., and the largest Lithuanian-owned bank in Šiauliai will be located in the premises of 9,5 thousand sq. m. The building will feature catering, retail and service premises on the ground floor, and offices on the upper floors.
The project is being developed by the investment management company Lords LB Asset Management, a subsidiary of the investment real estate fund Right Bank Development Fund, Kvartalas.
The business center was designed by the international architecture studio RSHP, which has worked on such global objects as the Pompidou National Center for Art and Culture in Paris, one of the new World Trade Center buildings in New York, the headquarters of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, the headquarters of Lloyd's and the Leadenhall buildings in London.
