The Award
The Lithuanian Ministry of Environment created the award: ‘The Most Innovative Project’ in 2007. The purpose of the award is to promote creative results and activities among architects and city planners as well as ensuring the development of meaningful architectural work within city planning and architecture in Lithuania. PLH has received the award for the office building K29 in Vilnius because the building according to the jury has the most innovative approach to holistic sustainability. The jury consisted of representatives from the Lithuanian Ministry of Environment, the two Associations of Architects in Lithuania, the Lithuanian Association of Landscape Architects, The Lithuanian Cultural Heritage Agency as well as the Lithuanian Green Building Council.
K29 Awarded for Sustainability and Innovation by The Lithuanian Ministry of Environment
The Lithuanian Ministry of Environment has awarded PLH and Archinova (our collaborator in Lithuania) with a prize for the most sustainable building in the category innovative buildings. The prize goes to the Vilnius building and business centre K29 because of its innovative approach to holistic sustainability. K29 is situated on Konstitucijos Prospektas (Constitution Avenue) in Vilnius, Lithuania. With a strong iconic expression in the Vilnius skyline the building has become a landmark creating a new destination in Vilnius. Last year K29 was also received a prize for innovation and earlier this year the building was awarded ‘Best Office Building in The Baltics’.
“When we at PLH design and develop architecture our basic goal is to improve the quality of life of the users, and we have succeeded very well in the case of K29. The employees of Nasdaq, KPMG, AIG, Lindorff, Unicredit, Pohjola Seesam and Tia all benefit from K29. And the rest of the citizens of Vilnius also have the opportunity to enjoy the public café, restaurant and the conference facilities that are situated inside the building. Earlier this year K29 was awarded best office building in The Baltics and K29 also received another prize for innovation. Now we get recognized again – this time by the Ministry of Environment that recognizes the building for sustainability and innovation – and we are very thrilled”
— Steen Enrico Andersen
Sustainable Buildings to Improve Quality of Life
The office building is to improve the quality of life of the 1250 people spending each day in the building. A double-skin façade, an optimal placement on the site and maximal use of daylight are all factors that enhance the physical work environment setting high standards for a healthy and attractive workplace in Lithuania. K29 consists is built in natural materials – most of them are local and sustainable making the building the most sustainable office building in Lithuania yet. The complex is equipped with the newest CTS-system optimizing energy savings and a lightning design consisting of the newest and most energy efficient components. The façade is a ventilated double skin façade consisting of energy glass and has an automatic sun screening system. K29 also has a hybrid ventilation system with natural ventilation of the offices and openable windows – both in the inner façade and through the skylights of the atrium.
Adapted to the Urban Scale
The building is placed centrally in the business district of Vilnius – and creates a transition between a larger park area noth of the city and the international business district in the East. The significant geometrical shape of the building with a vertical cut through the roof and the waving opening at the ground plan creates an attractive new area in the public park. K29 is open and inviting and the building integrates the use of a new attractive park in a new and dynamic area under development in Vilnius. The building is designed to blend in to the urban scale and surrounding landscape placed in the area between public green areas and a cluster of high-rise buildings on Konstitucijos avenue 29.
Optimal Conditions for Daylight
The oval shape of the building with a central atrium and a sloping roof gives optimal daylight-conditions for all users. Because of the sloping roof daylight flows into the atrium most of the day – and users placed close to the windows on the inner side of the atrium can look out over the opposite side of the building and gain visual contact with the rest of the city. This ensures optimal wellbeing for the users and best possible access to daylight without dark areas.
Flexible Office Building in Natural Materials
Design and layout are targeted knowledge-based companies with a need for a workplace design that can be changed. The building is flexible and adaptable in many ways. The specific construction of the floors and the elevator cores make it possible to divide the building into smaller units adapting the building to the needs of the tenants. To attract foreign companies the dimensions and layout have been adapted to European and American conditions. The interior is dominated by moderate colors and natural materials such as wood and natural stone. The lighting design gives a soft and elegant light in the workspaces. The acoustic design has been developed with a focus on creating an optimal acoustic environment for users everywhere in the building.
”We have built up our relations and success in Lithuania over a number of years, and we are able to design in a different way than the local architects. Among other things we have introduced workplace design, sustainability and energy efficiency to the Lithuanians – and at the same time the Scandinavian style appeals to them. They like that we are working very honestly with the materials” says Steen Enrico Andersen.
PLH Succesful in Lithuania
K29 is the 6th project of PLH Arkitekter in the Lithuanian capital – and the office building is a result of a collaboration between Lithuanian investors, PLH and the local architect company Archinova. Among the other buildings in Vilnius designed by PLH is the signature building ’Green Hall’, the department store Gedimino 9 and a mixed project with hotel, offices, shops and luxury apartments on Ciurlionio Street. At the moment PLH is working on a number of new projects in Vilnius: ”We have built up our relations and success in Lithuania over a number of years, and we are able to design in a different way than the local architects. Among other things we have introduced workplace design, sustainability and energy efficiency to the Lithuanians – and at the same time the Scandinavian style appeals to them. They like that we are working very honestly with the materials” says Steen Enrico Andersen.
Earlier this year the media organisation Business News awarded K29 the ’BEST OFFICE BUILDING IN THE BALTICS’ 2015. The office building also received an innovation prize by Business Model Innovation and the Danish Chamber of Commerce in Lithuania.
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