14 projects by Lithuanian architects, including ‘Paupys’, nominated for an Oscar of Architecture

The list of the best creators participating in the most important European architecture competition include quite of few Lithuanian names. In 2021, as many as fourteen out of 400 possible nominations were awarded to the works of Lithuanian architects in the prestigious ‘Mies van der Rohe’ awards organised every two years. This number is higher than ever before.

The European Contemporary Architecture Awards, ‘Mies van der Rohe’, are often named the Oscars of Architecture, and their importance is also acknowledged by the chairwoman of the Union of Architects, Rūta Leitanaitė. ‘This is by far the most important event for architects, and we are looking forward to it every time’, she assures. This year, the list of nominees competing for the first place in the competition include as many as two residential blocks built by the real estate development company ‘Darnu Group’ in Paupys: the ‘Paupys’ business centre, created by the office of architects headed by chief architect, Audrius Ambrasas, and the first residential block, designed by Edgaras Neniškis, the chief architect of the ‘Arches’ studio.

‘For many years, Paupys, even being a part of Vilnius Old Town, did not exist. It was abandoned and unvisited, even though it is located on the shores of Vilnia River. In the past few years, we have breathed new life into this territory by bringing together the most outstanding studios of Lithuanian architects and establishing residential houses, commercial, and public residential blocks. We are very pleased that as many as two residential blocks of Paupys have already been nominated in the prestigious European competition – it is always a pleasure to receive such attention and be visible, and valued in the international arena’, says Sigita Survilaitė-Mekionienė, General Manager of ‘Darnu Group’.

Fourteen Lithuanians – among top 400 architects Qualified experts from European countries and expert organisations – architects’ unions of different countries, universities, other approved organisations that unite independent critics and architects – were all invited to apply for the nomination. Only the projects implemented during the last couple of years can take part in the competition, which takes place every two years, and this year as many as fourteen of them have been selected from Lithuania: all of them – in the top 400. At a later stage, forty of them will be selected (their works will be published in a prestigious publication) and finally the top five European creators will compete for the main prize, and the young architect will be awarded an incentive. ‘Getting among the 400 best in Europe is not easy. It would be possible to select 100 interesting architectural objects in each country, therefore just getting on the list of the commission’s nominees is truly an accomplishment’, says Rūta Leitanaitė.

This year, the Lithuanian Union of Architects and two independent experts, each of which could select a maximum of five projects, selected the projects that will represent Lithuania in the international competition. Later, the participants will have to make sure they meet the requirements of an international commission that was formed by the organisers, in which there are many critics of architecture that are famous all across Europe.

Read the rest at 15min.lt