Magnus Residence - a different standard of living
2018-08-27
“Apartment House Gedimino Ave. 47, in Vilnius, is an example of a balance between historical heritage and convenient modernity. The building is oriented to a modern man looking for comfort and aesthetics, ”says Gintautas Kazlauskas, CEO of JSC Keista.
Facility Name: Apartment Building Gedimino Ave. 47 in Vilnius / Magnus residence
Client: UAB Apex group
General Contractor: Keista UAB
Designer: R. Mikulionis architecture studio
Architects: Rytis Mikulionis, Dalia Treinytė
The union of modernity and tradition in modern architectural solutions
Gediminas Avenue has a unique architecture, so it is not strange that two pieces of old, unworthy buildings have bee replaced with new architectural solution. Not only does the new building represent a modern approach, it also cultivates an authentic cultural spirit of the area.
Rytis Mikulionis architecture studio Plazma, in cooperation with the general designer JSC "Keista", was looking for the most effective solutions to integrate the new building into its historical location. "We had to build a solid building that would fit into this place and integrate into the Gediminas Avenue," says architect R. Mikulionis, recalling that Gediminas Avenue is a special street that emerged during the Russian Empire and maintained an imperial spirit. "We took inspiration while walking through the prospectus and exploring existing buildings, using time-tested materials and composite materials, but interpreting them in a modern way, so the apartment has retro elements that fit in that place," the architect says.
R. Mikulionis tells us that, in order to realize the architectural vision, he had not only to analyze the architectural solutions of Gediminas Avenue, but also to look at its history. It turns out that at the time this prospectus was being created, only the facades approved by the Tsarist Russian authorities were allowed to symbolize the imperial Russian spirit. This order, named by the architect, was called " fasadinitchistvo", therefore, when constructing a new building, great attention was paid to the representativeness of the Gediminas Avenue.
The facade of the Prospect is decorated with granite rust, others are plastered. The architectural elements of the roof are formed using modern aluminum composite panels.
When asked about the problems, the architect says that there is a great risk of straying into straightforward interpretations in order to turn back and use design citations of historical architecture. "If you cannot use straightforward interpretations of historical elements when designing your attempts, you should understand that this is not the 19th century creation. The building must still be modern. This was the biggest challenge - not to go wrong with nonprofessional creations, "says Mikulionis, but he believes that he has not been faced with major problems and that the challenges have been overcome.
"Great attention is given to the staircase in the interior - the openwork stair system designed around panoramic elevators, tile and terrazzo pavement used for treads and floors", says architect. For the convenience of the population, a closed yard is formed. Equipped with a two-level underground car storage, which holds more cars than required by the standard. The large windows to the floor and the light that passes through them is another unique solution to create a special environment of the object.
Meets all the requirements
Apartment house Gedimino pr. 47 Magnus Residence Construction Manager - UAB Keista. The company has provided a complete package of services from the beginning of the project implementation: design and construction management, construction maintenance. Smooth work was ensured by the high level of qualification of the project participants, the experience of many different projects and the achievement of maximum results.
According to JSC "Keista" manager G. Kazlauskas, this object is exclusive because of its location - on one side of the building is constant traffic of Gediminas Avenue, and inside - a cozy, private inner courtyard, where you can drink a cup of coffee and feel as if you were not living in the city center. Therefore, every building solution should have been carefully considered and the materials and products used during construction were chosen with great responsibility. “The location of the object in itself obligated to set higher than standard project implementation goals. When designing and constructing buildings in the heritage protection area, every detail of both the design and construction phases is important. The project has a responsible approach to research (heritage protection, archaeological), clear formulation of the goal and its pursuit, smooth integration of the building while maintaining a balance between the modernity and the heritage site, quality assurance (selecting materials, finding solutions, taking into account market innovations, coordinating construction works) ” , - says Kazlauskas, arguing that limited space, adjacent old buildings, complex constructional and architectural solutions - a whole set of complicated issues - did not allow to be relaxed during the whole project, requiring constant teamwork.
The unique Magnus Residence has many unconventional solutions - The facade from Gedimino ave. is divided into granite rusts, spacious light staircases with customized design, and large showcase windows with balconies exit attract attention. There is a playground for children in the cozy courtyard. There are two parking spaces for each apartment in a two-storey underground car park.
“The project has been implemented smoothly, and the final result has been achieved without departing from the target. The building is aesthetically appealing, of high quality and meets all the requirements for it, ”says Aurimas Sadelskis, Head of Technical Department at Keista JSC.
Exterior finishing materials are a reflection of today's needs
“The facade of each object is a reflection of the economic decisions and aesthetic taste of the people living there. Attractive architecture attracts attention, but innovative solutions are the most fascinating, so the facade of the house is a great opportunity to give the object value or exclusivity. The appearance of the building should be well thought out, its aesthetic, functional and economic solutions are evaluated, ”said Alucobond's team, also joining the construction project.
The top floor of the object (penthouse) is equipped with a facade finish using aluminum composite panels ALUCOBOND (surface color - naturAL ZINC) with exceptional quality and naturalness. Aluminum plates consist of two sheets and a minineral filler. Such a composition allows to achieve a high level of rigidity, flatness of the surface and to obtain various forms of bends, which provides unlimited possibilities for the implementation of architectural solutions. Because of these features, the panels are durable, do not fade, do not scratch, do not require any special care. Environmentally friendly materials are used for the production of panels and can be recycled.
ALUCOBOND “NaturAL Beauty” series makes it possible to turn the ideas into reality according to today's innovative needs, design, style - to produce the most diverse architectural forms. It is a proven high quality aluminum plate made in Germany.
Mosaic concrete works
JSC "Lorevitas" joined the project later, but the company received tasks that required both professional strength and endurance. The head of the company Giedrius Vaičaitis smiles that Lorevitas is like a “fast aid” in construction: it not only does its work, but also helps those who lack labor or experience.
The Lorevitas team installed flooring on the site - using sanded mosaic concrete with aluminum strips, as well as staircases - mosaic concrete with final stair finish.
When asked about the challenges he faced, the company manager G. Vaičaitis says that they really took place. One of the largest is the installation of stairwells weighing nearly 700 kg. It was not possible to use the heavy equipment, but everything had to be done by hand. Difficult work was also accompanied by very narrow stair beams and had to take care of their firmness.
Specialists have been impressed with the time frame, but the CEO is pleased that this challenge has made it possible to make the most of its potential. This is an experience that will be useful in the future. Now any challenge is to be concured!
JSC "Lorevitas" also carried out fencing works at the facility.
Modern engineering solutions
JSC Duventa, with its twenty years of experience, contributed to complex engineering works at Gedimino pr. 47.
Residential sanitary units and kitchens are designed for natural ventilation. The kitchens have two 125 mm channels to connect the domestic hood and natural ventilation. The water supply is connected to the existing mains water supply in the city. Meters for cold and hot water consumption for household purposes were installed in the corridors.
The sanitary units are equipped with domestic wastewater systems, hot and cold water inlets. There are also sewer stands.
It is important to note that the Duventa team has designed a two-pipe, forced circulation, collector heating system in the building. Floor collector cabinets provide closing and balancing fixtures, apartment heat accounting. The heat from the high collectors is distributed to the apartment collectors. Plastic pipes are installed in the apartment collector for floor heating systems. For the heating of apartments, a floor heating system with a room thermostat is selected, which allows you to choose the desired temperature in each room. Heating devices for lower connection, with preset thermostatic valves and thermostatic wireless heads.