Residential complex in Vilnius | Architectural Bureau G. Natkevicius & Partners

Upon first seeing the plot on the former Vilnius Street “Black Road”, the historical city of Vilnius and Mikalojus Radvila the Black resonated in the imagination, creating the initial impression.

The neighborhood of the plot is a large, chaotic environment of private plots, slate roofs, wooden, low-rise buildings, garden houses, some of which have grown into residential houses, with little urban planning, except for the fact that the plots themselves are quite neatly laid out.

It is an elongated, one hectare perfectly regular plot of land in a cluster of small houses, slightly rising to a hill, where several valuable coniferous trees grow. The plot is interesting and non-standard, different, with a character presenting the opportunity to create something unique. The goal was to divide the plot into smaller plots and form a district of small-scale economy-class private houses.

It is important to note that we live in an era where the prevailing belief is that a residential individual house should have a large area and include a garage, among other amenities. However, with the foresight to evaluate the fact that the neighborhood was not of the highest quality in terms of its surroundings, and considering the pragmatic side of the future district, a concept of smaller private houses, approximately 120 square meters in size, was chosen. Regarding the urban planning, aesthetics, and architectural ideas of the future district, even before any drawings, measurements, or sketches were made, the contours of those small houses, resembling the keys of a piano, were already emerging in the imagination. The plot is like a long keyboard, where the houses were arranged, resembling the rows of black and white keys slightly intermingling with each other.

The divided individual plots are very narrow, with a street running along the long edge of the plot, providing access to all plots. Interestingly, the 13 houses planned within the plot's area could not be divided in a way that would create square-shaped plots. Therefore, the direction of the economic segment dictated the idea of three orientations in each house: the building has entrances, windows, showcases, while one side is completely blind. The showcases of the adjacent plot face that blind wall, creating an intriguing effect where the wall of the neighboring plot partially forms the interior of the courtyard, providing a cozy atmosphere.

The storage unit serves as the final element that among other things encloses the narrow courtyard from the street, covers it. That piano principle, implemented in each plot, creates an enclosed courtyard formed by our own house with showcases, a private storage unit that covers the street, and a completely blind wall running through the neighboring house's two floors.

Since the construction is dense and the houses are quite close to each other, houses’ aesthetics are rather restrained.

They have the impression of a sloping roof, because the roof is slightly broken, only a few materials were used: black plaster, black window frames and galvanized metal roofs and sheds, concrete fence gates and metal fence. The plot complex is enlivened by landscaping solutions that reduce the scale of the yard, making it even cozier.

Lead architects: R. Pučka, A. Rimšelis, A. Natkevičiūtė, G. Natkevičius
Project managers: M. Jucius, T. Jūras
Sructural engineer: V. Mikalauskytė