Bank of Lithuania Headquarters

BANK OF LITHUANIA HEADQUARTERS

type

OFFICE BUILDINGS

status

RECONSTRUCTION COMPETITION

area

24 265 m²

location

VILNIUS, LITHUANIA

year

2019

architects

ARTURAS ZURAVLIOVAS, ANDREJ PLESKOV, VYTAUTAS OZELIS

During nearly 100 years, the Bank of Lithuania has refined it‘s three core values: responsibility, openness and activeness. We want to encode these values in architecture to reflect them in the work environment and to convey their spirit to employees. The newly renovated building will not only become an architectural symbol of the Bank of Lithuania, harmoniously incorporated into Žirmūnai urban structure, but will also convey the core values of the Bank of Lithuania organization.

A homogeneous monumental volume was chosen to create a morphotypical transition from adjacent large industrial and service buildings to multi-storey apartment buildings. Taking into account that there is no dominant morphotype around the designed building, the new multi-storey administrative part of the building is designed in the centre of the site to give it individuality and to distinguish it as a composite dominant.

Architectural visualization - view of building at night from Žirmūnų street

SCHEMES

schemes

Concept development diagrams

The administrative part of the building is planned in the central part of the site, away from Žirmūnų Street and apartment buildings, maintaining the composite axes of the adjacent buildings. This allows the site to be divided into two parts: a green, car-free area next to the apartment buildings, and the frontal representative part with a car parking.

To make a softer volumetric transition between adjacent lower ant taller apartment buildings, the designed building‘s main volume is divided into two parts and the upper part is rotated. Also, it allows visually to enhance the entrance angle of the building, viewed from the main entrance to the area and increase the visibility of the building from the intersection of Žirmūnų and Kareivių streets.

The lower part of the building is raised on the columns to form a clearly visible entrance for those arriving through the main entrance. There is formed an atrium in a central part of the building to ensure a sufficient amount of a natural light to all work areas in the centre. To encourage active communication between employees around the atrium is formed recreation areas. To take advantage of the existing panoramic view, a rooftop terrace for relaxation is designed on the east side of the building.

Diagrams shows how atriums works in building

There are two types of atrium designed in the building: a central one that provides light to the work areas in the central part of the building, and two smaller type atriums that encourage active collaboration between staff from different departments and equally create quality rest, dining and work spaces. Also, by combining the rest areas of different floors and the courtyard of the first floor into entire visual channel, multi-layered visual links are created that dispel the monotony of work.

There are many variations of passages of Lorem Ipsum available, but the majority have suffered alteration in some form,

Diagrams shows routes of visitors, personnel and service

The main access to the site is formed through a security post on the southeast side of the site. Upon entering the area, the flow of worker‘s cars is directed to an underground car park (297 spaces). Visitors can park their cars in the overground parking with 54 parking spaces. The bike path with a ramp is designed on the right side of the building. There is a bicycle parking area in the underground parking.

From the Žirmūnų street there is a technical cargo transport entrance to the building, there is a possibility to get through the building to the emergency exit or the main entrance. The food, cargo, and garbage removal takes place through the main security post. Access to the kitchen, where there is a kitchen food storage and kitchen waste sorting room, is on the west side access. This passage is limited with columns that automatically pop up. On the right there is a technical courtyard hidden behind the facade for the conference halls installations and for destroyed banknotes to transport out.

Outdoors, technical service diagrams

The rear side of the building is turned green by planting certain kind of the plants in order to reduce a visual noise for the apartment buildings nearby and ensure the possibility to move around the all building. Also, all ventilation units on the upper floors are let into special technical niches, and the rest of the roof is covered with solar panels.

Architectural visualization from above

PLANS

plans

Site plan

Plans of levels: 01, 02-04, 05-07, 08, -01

Visitors enter the building through the main entrance. Hall has a reception, a waiting room and a chat room. On the right side there is a conference center with separate cloakroom and sanitary facilities. Outside the conference room there is a warehouse and a connection to the technical courtyard. The conference hall is designed with the possibility of dividing it into two parts.

Staff can enter the building through both the main hall and basement checkpoint, which has three panoramic elevators. On the ground floor, on the south side, there is a planned children's room with enclosed outdoor playground. There is a canteen on the west side of the reception with an enclosed yard for workers. Sliding showcases are planned in the canteen so that the canteen can operate in the yard during the summer. There are also several gazebos with tables and an amphitheater for small meetings in the enclosed courtyard. Next to the kitchen, we planned a separate space for private banquets that could simply be hidden with a curtain.

The technical corridor serves for multi-purpose delivering and connects utility rooms, technical lift and security room were from all security matters can be controlled.

On the main floor plan the corridor is positioned at the center of the space to divide the working area in two.

There are two atriums that connect 2nd to 4th and 5th to 8th floors, where lounge areas are planned. In this way we can easily gather the people to the active common spaces. Next to it other functional rooms are positioned - kitchen, non formal meeting rooms, silence cells, co-working rooms end etc.

Diagrams: working zone types, variations of working zones

The design of the building allows to shape working space easily - divide in various sizes, create an open space working area or shape it by the needs of the community. Yet, we would recommend not exceeding 15 workers in one open space area.

Recent research showed that allowing users in a workspace to relocate–or flow–to spaces that suit their needs, at that moment, increases productivity and satisfaction in the workplace, So we designed space with various work zones and mobile workplaces, to reduce the amount of stationary workplaces and therefore increase productivity of workers.

Unseen irregular freestanding partition concepts and unexpected elements of the interior could also help to eliminate the monotony and reflect more welcoming and fit-to-human-scale environment.

There are few types of the working areas that was kept in mind while planning:

Home Base: Quiet area for concentrated, focused work. Optimized for 5 or less workers in one space, calls and discussions are held outside of the room, for maximum concentration and respect of the colleges
Open Plan: Open workspace supporting communication. optimal for no more than 15 people in one. It it a space where comunication is embrased, but calls still should be made in a phone booth.
Touchdown: A zone for spontaneous, flexible working. It is a space for discussion, brainstorming and movement. That was designed proportionally large to be comfortable for holding groups of people, fully equipped (coffee, water, printing equipment.., etc.)
Break-out Area: Informal working, break time and chat. it is either kitchen, lounge, or trees anywhere users are comfortable to work at the moment. Therefore sockets, WI-fi, portable tables and ergonomic furniture are based in the office.

Workstations are equipped with ergonomic furniture. standing tables also in the offices are used mobile walls and furniture.

Architectural visualization - view of building at night

SECTIONS AND ELEVATIONS

sections / facades

Sections and elevations

The cassette type facade was chosen to be efficiently built and moderate to use. To ensure sun control using solar control coatings, special glass stickers and integrated automatic shadings, so to create a cassette type double-skin facade system.

Architectural visualization - view to main entrance to Bank o Lithuania

INTERIOR

interior

Interior visualizations - inner spaces of lobby, restaurant, terrace, office spaces, children's day care room and conference room

In order to highlight the three main values of the bank: transparency, proactiveness and responsibility, the interior of the building is designed with bright, natural materials and colors.

RESPONSIBILITY
The volumetric monumentality of the building and the stone finish will give staff and visitors a sense of solidity and responsibility. Internal work areas are designed with transparent or lattice walls to give peer visibility that promotes the feeling of transparency not only to the organization, but also to its colleagues.

OPENNESS
Indoor atrium, bright color gamut, common leisure areas and translucent or lattice partitions will encourage building staff to interact as much as possible and give them a sense of openness and teamwork spirit.

ACTIVITY
The vast selection of differently styled work zones, open leisure areas with available workplaces will encourage employees to migrate and try different work styles, which will significantly increase their efficiency by reducing work monotony. A rooftop terrace on the fifth floor and an indoor patio on the ground floor will allow one to find an oasis of tranquility in the most challenging situations and quickly recover without leaving the building.

Diagram of materials used for different zones

There are three main types of building. Depending on its purpose, the interior of each zone, is distinguished by its materiality, every area stimulates different senses and encourages certain activities. The visitor area has a sense of strength, reliability and seriousness, while the work areas promote openness, peace and dedication to one’s work.

Noise is a major challenge in designing intensive work areas, so work areas are designed with high-end soundproofing materials. All work area corridors are carpeted. Ceilings and parts of walls are made of sound-absorbing panels. Glass partitions are provided with a sound-absorbing film. Open spaces between work areas have cabinets. Natural light wood is used for furniture and partitions. Chilled beam system is used to ventilate the work areas, ensuring a comfortable climate.

Photos of current situation with new designed building