flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Ugly soviet parking garage takes on appearance of a cascading waterfall

Architects

Ugly soviet parking garage takes on appearance of a cascading waterfall

Architect Ignas Lukaskas worked in conjunction with Vieta and the Vilnius Street Art festival to transform the building.


By David Malone, Associate Editor | September 30, 2016

Photo courtesy of Studio Vieta

A Soviet-era parking garage in Lithuania that sits just a few dozen feet from the Neris River and has been described as an “eyesore,” has been transformed into a bright display of color and lights as part of the Vilnius Street Art Festival. Ignas Lukauskas, an architect whose PhD thesis was on urban landscapes and how art and architecture can create disruptions, created the new look for the building.

The Vilnius Waterfall, as the project has been dubbed, is based on this thesis. The photorealistic waterfall image was pasted onto more than 2,000 sm (making it the largest project like this ever executed in Lithuania) of the structure’s exterior surface and uses the building’s terraced look and its location near the Neris to further enhance the faux waterfall’s illusion.

The water appears to crash and cascade down the various terraces of the structure, which is currently used as a garage for storing and maintaining Parliament vehicles, on its way to the river. The stagnant appearance offered by the building’s former look is replaced with one that is dynamic and flowing.

The new façade is only temporary, but the goal is for it to bring a refreshing hint of the natural landscape to Lithuania’s capital city.

View more images of The Vilnius Waterfall here.

Related Stories

Architects | May 17, 2015

NCARB wants the title ‘architect’ confined to those who are licensed

The Council is urging state licensing boards to come up with a substitute for the pre-licensure title ‘Intern.’  

Museums | May 13, 2015

The museum of tomorrow: 8 things to know about cultural institutions in today’s society

Entertainment-based experiences, personal journeys, and community engagement are among the key themes that cultural institutions must embrace to stay relevant, write Gensler's Diana Lee and Richard Jacob.

Industrial Facilities | May 11, 2015

SOM-designed Manufacturing and Design Innovation Institute opens in Chicago

The new space will be a place for academia, industries, and civic bodies to collaborate.

Sponsored | Roofing | May 11, 2015

How architects can tap into the expertise of their metal roof manufacturer, part 2

Here are three things metal roof manufacturers can do to help the architect

BIM and Information Technology | May 10, 2015

How beacons will change architecture

Indoor positioning is right around the corner. Here is why it matters.

Architects | May 10, 2015

Harness the connection between managing risk and increasing profitability, Part 2

In Part 1, we covered taking control of the submittals schedule and managing RFIs. Let’s move on to properly allocating substitutions and limiting change orders.

Architects | May 10, 2015

Harness the connection between managing risk and increasing profitability, Part 1

AE firms need to protect themselves against vague contractual and procedural situations during all phases of the project in order to minimize their liability and exposure to risk, writes AEC industry consultant Steve Whitehorn.

Building Team | May 8, 2015

Construction industry adds 45,000 jobs in April

The construction industry saw an increase in jobs during the month of April after losing approximately 9,000 positions in March.

Building Team | May 8, 2015

Surety bond forms specifically for design-build projects now available

The documents are the first of their kind to be coauthored by designers and builders.

High-rise Construction | May 6, 2015

Parks in the sky? Subterranean bike paths? Meet the livable city, designed in 3D

Today’s great cities must be resilient—and open—to many things, including the influx of humanity, writes Gensler co-CEO Andy Cohen. 

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category


Urban Planning

Bridging the gap: How early architect involvement can revolutionize a city’s capital improvement plans

Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs) typically span three to five years and outline future city projects and their costs. While they set the stage, the design and construction of these projects often extend beyond the CIP window, leading to a disconnect between the initial budget and evolving project scope. This can result in financial shortfalls, forcing cities to cut back on critical project features.



Libraries

Reasons to reinvent the Midcentury academic library

DLR Group's Interior Design Leader Gretchen Holy, Assoc. IIDA, shares the idea that a designer's responsibility to embrace a library’s history, respect its past, and create an environment that will serve student populations for the next 100 years.

halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021