The buildings in the higher part of the plot comprising the Rasu Namai Housing Development in Vilnius, Lithuania are elevated on slender columns in order to „catch the sun“ and leave the walls of historical vaults undisturbed. Meanwhile the buildings down the slope are lowered and provided with the yards on the creek bank. The houses are clad in wooden planks of different textures.
8 ELEVATED houses have been designed by Paleko Arch Studija and PLAZMA along the street in the southern part of the plot. These buildings are set between the retaining walls of the ammunition vaults or placed above their cornices. These buildings are paired around outside staircases. The houses are elevated to ensure the free access to the historical vaults and their visibility from the street. The pairs of houses correspond to the pairs of entrances to the vaults. These houses have regular plans, traditional pitched roofs and are rotated according to the orientation of the vaults‘ facades.
The northern side of the street is shaped by the intermittent perimeter of LOWERED houses. 10 separate buildings with regular plans and pitched roofs connect two terraces: the bank of the creek and the street. Due to the difference of terrain they seem to be 1 storey high from the street and two storey high when observed from the lower terrace. Retaining walls between the houses separate the places for cars on the street level and private terraces below.
Traditional archetypical silhouette of the buildings is supplemented by moderate contemporary details and elements. Shapes are lightened by abstract volumes of bay windows and skylights. The complex of houses is harmonized by uniform materialization: buildings are clad in wood planks of several different textures, influenced by local traditions. Homogenous architectural details, scale and color of the buildings enhance the idea of unity even further. The perspective of the street is not obstructed, but rather extending into the valley of Ribiskes landscape reserve.
Design and info © Paleko Arch Studija and PLAZMA
Images © Norbert Tukaj