Special purpose building, 3 storeys, 4500 m2, Rasų st. 8, Vilnius. The plot is located in the territory of the city of Vilnius, in the Old Town area of Vilnius. According to the KPD data, the plot is located in the 66th block (U1P, 16073).
Spaces and volumes
The chosen form of the volume is simple (narrowing/widening spaces). The non-dominant volume will blend into the environment. The inner courtyard will serve as a gathering place for the prisoners as well as for the staff. The second floor of the main façade is retracted to form a shelter at the exits.
For building façade finishes
The building is to be finished with reinforced concrete panels in a light grey colour to blend in with the surroundings and not stand out, with corten volumetric hinges on some of the windows to give the building a distinctive appearance and to blend in with the adjacent monastery. In the inner courtyard, cement siding, wood textures and colours are projected to create a cozy environment. On the wall of the courtyard walks, segments of crystal stretched netting shall be installed around the perimeter of the wall.
Natural, restrained finishes are used in the design of the building. The silhouette of the new building is intended to be in harmony with the surrounding buildings.
Architectural, functional solutions
The building is designed on three floors: on the ground floor, a prisoner distribution area, a learning area for inmates and a double cell block, as well as HR cells. The cell block contains the necessary facilities for this area, such as a post, a gym, a recreation room, a laundry room and staff quarters.
On the second floor, the learning rooms are extended, some of the staff rooms are provided and the cell block and its dedicated rooms are continued.
On the third floor, a block of single and double cells is designed, with the other half of the building dedicated to outdoor exercise yards. The courtyards are separated by walls and the roof is covered with netting.
A passenger lift connects all floors and will be available for staff use. Two staircases for evacuation are foreseen. The post office should provide a spiral staircase for staff, to facilitate access between floors, and in the event of a riot or other emergency, and to enable staff to safely exit the post area directly to the outside.
Visual harmony with the surroundings
There is a valuable relationship with the adjacent monastery complex. The building is not intended to overwhelm the adjacent properties and therefore a three-storey building has been chosen to blend into the site. The existing plot makes use of the shape of the plot and the edge of the building follows the boundary line of the plot. The edge of the main facade shall be designed without overshadowing the internal courtyard space.