Vilnius city municipality and the Vilnius development company signed a contract for the design of the Žirmūnai athletics arena. The playground will be designed by MB "Syrusas", operating under the name "IMPLMNT architects" (architects Aurimas Syrusas, Greta Šidlauskaitė, Eglė Gečaitė, Aurelija Kniukštaitė, Kotryna Bajorinaitė and Jonė Virbickaitė). The initial project submitted by the company in 2020. was chosen as the winner of the architectural idea competition.
"In Vilnius, we have many growing athletics talents and track and field athletes who are already winning at the highest level championships, but there are really few high-quality, modern bases specifically for track and field athletics in the city. The goal of this project is to correct this disproportion and at the same time create infrastructure that fits harmoniously into the overall urban vision of the city," says the Vice Mayor of Vilnius. Valdas Benkunskas.
The arena features a six-track running track with 200 m long tracks, as well as an eight-track 60 m long sprint track, high and long jump and triple jump sectors, a shot put sector and an exercise-warm-up zone for long throws - javelin and discus. In the premises of the complex, it is also planned to establish various auxiliary facilities - a medical center, doping rooms, massage rooms, changing rooms, rooms for employees and areas for commentators and directors of competitions. And in order to control the different flows of athletes, spectators and employees, the project will design separate ways of entering the building.
"This is a very interesting and important project both functionally and urban-architecturally. The plot is in an important location, complex in shape, with a pronounced relief, and the context is very diverse in terms of natural, urban and heritage. Therefore, the main architectural idea is to properly respond to the context by controlling the scale", says architect Aurimas Syrusas about the project.
The sports base is planned to be divided into different zones, which will be separated by barriers resembling outdoor corridors. This is expected to visually reduce the volume of the building and harmonize the scale of the building with the surrounding natural and architectural values.
It is planned that three types of public spaces will surround the building. On the west side, in front of Žirmūnai street, where the main entrance to the building is planned, a representative space is planned. In the northern part, it is planned to install a ramp surrounded by nature. And in the east of the plot, along the river, an open area will be planned. Taking into account the trends of sustainable movement, the territory will provide parking spaces not only for cars, but also for alternative vehicles.
"At this stage of the project, we are turning on the timer of a significant and necessary sports facility for the city. Project management professionals and technical experts have been assembled to ensure the implementation of the project, so that when the time comes we can invite everyone to celebrate the start of construction," says Saulius Barauskas, director of the project manager "Vilnius vystymo kompanijos".
The design works of the athletics playground were estimated at almost 749 thousand. EUR, including value added tax. It is expected that the technical design will be completed and the construction permit will be issued in 2023, and the facility itself could be built by 2026.
