Zaha Hadid Architects wins competition to renovate Vilnius Railway Station
Zaha Hadid Architects wins competition to renovate Vilnius Railway Station,
Zaha Hadid Architects has won a design competition to redevelop the Vilnius railway station complex and the surrounding area in Lithuania.
Through its proposal “Green Connect” to create an integrated transportation hub for the 21st century with new civic spaces surrounded by nature.
The ZHA project is aligned with the city’s ongoing sustainability agenda,
as the proposal is to upgrade the Vilnius Railway Station by incorporating a new public bridge over the railway tracks.
The bridge connects the Naujininkai district to the south with the city center and Vilnius Old Town,
giving priority to pedestrians and cyclists.
The proposal also “transforms the existing rail infrastructure from being a barrier dividing the city into a link that unites Vilnius,
and serves as a transport hub for national and local rail services as well as the new Rail Baltic line connecting with Europe’s high speed network.”
Zaha Hadid Architects wins competition to renovate Vilnius Railway Station
The project will be incorporated into the city’s 15-year master plan to create more pedestrian-friendly public spaces
as one of the four aspects of the plan,
which also includes stricter building standards and the incorporation of green spaces in the half-million city.
Features of the proposed project
The new bridge spans 150 m (492 ft) to cover existing tracks at a height of 10 m (32 ft),
Which is highlighted by a fluid shaped roof structure composed of locally sourced laminated wood
that also matches the stepped landscape of the bus station.
The shape of the station’s new bridge gradually changes along its length;
From the sloping roof defined by the triangular slope of the neoclassical station to softer geometric shapes
and volumes that shrink in size for landings on Pelusos Street in the Naujininkai district.
The project was organized by Lietuvos Geležinkeliai, LTG Infra,
which operates the country’s railway network, and Vilnius City Hall.
The project renovates and reuses the original station,
with the addition of a new contemporary concourse bridge of 9,500 square metres.
The new Concourse Bridge is 46 meters wide and spans 150 meters across railway platforms.
Offering a proposal to relocate the existing Stoties Square car park to a new underground facility,
the project also introduces a square and adjoining garden,
two vibrant civic spaces with over 300 new trees, and 4,000 square meters of landscaping.
Features of the project submitted by Zaha Hadid Architects
ZHA has reimagined the existing 9,000 square meter (97,000 square foot) terminal,
removing temporary kiosks and office space that had been in place for years in favor of a more open plan.
A new bus station, rooftop terrace, and outdoor amphitheater will be added.
The plan will also add Vilnius to a growing list of cities that see public infrastructure
such as train stations as an essential part of active urban life in the 21st century.
As Mantas Partuchka, president of Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (LTG), said:
“In a modern city, a station is no longer just a building where you can buy a ticket or sit before your flight.”
The station and its surroundings should become a destination providing public spaces with recreational areas and services,
convenient connections for pedestrians, cyclists and all those who choose to travel comfortably and sustainably by train.
From this point of view came the insistence on opening
and converting the industrial spaces of the station that were previously inaccessible to be used by all residents.
