At the competition of the best RE project ‘For Sustained Development’ organised by the Lithuanian Real Estate Development Association (LNTPA) for the tenth year in Lithuania, the commission recognised the k29 office complex at Konstitucijos avenue, in the capital city, as the best commercial project. Building managers and architects emphasise that harmony with nature and people was in the main focus from the very beginning of the project.
The k29 office complex that was opened in June 2015, in the very central part of Vilnius, is a modern and distinctive real estate object of peculiar architecture on the right bank of the River Neris. The eight-storey building of over 15 000 sq.m. hosts 1253 modern workplaces.
The building was designed by PLH Arkitekter from Denmark and Archinova from Lithuania. The project was developed by Lords LB Baltic Fund II, which specifically for this project founded by Lords LB Asset Management investment company. The project received funding of EUR 32 million in total.
According to one of the project authors, architect of Archinova architecture company Aleksandras Gvildys, from the very beginning the k29 complex was developed in harmony with nature and people.
‘It was encoded in the very concept of the project, that the building will have an atrium. It means that lots of attention was focused on shared spaces, harmony and natural light. All premises, except for public conveniences, are lit by natural light’, said one of the building creators.
According to him, the k29 building has very small space for rent on the first floor for a purpose, so that the building harmoniously merges with the surrounding parks and green spaces. The parterre was installed following this idea, while the restaurant operating in the building moves some of its tables outdoors in summer.
‘In the summer, windows are opened at the top of the building, the chimney effect is created, thus letting air move freely. In the evening, all offices are aired this way. In the morning, office workers come to fresh and cool offices. The double facade also allows climate control and protection against the noise caused by heavy traffic in the city’, told Gvildys about technical solutions.
Manager of Lords LB Baltic Fund IV which manages the k29 building Manfredas Dargužis emphasised that during development of the building, attention was focused not only on harmony with nature, but also on convenience and catering for every day needs of people.
‘From the very beginning, the building was designed bearing in mind people and their daily rhythm. Surroundings starting from spacious parking ground to events in shared halls of the building were designed. The interior was designed to allow people to spend as much time as possible in motion. Today, we noticed that office workers are using stairs more often. Floors have quite big spaces, therefore motion in circle takes place, thus people can walk not only more conveniently but even more frequently’ he talked about the balance between quietness and dynamics.
Mr. Dargužis remembered that in the beginning the idea to design wider than usual parking spaces seemed unexpected, but later this idea proved to be right and contributes greatly to people’s convenience today.
‘At first, increasing parking spaces by some tens of centimetres sounded weird. It seems to be a small thing but the guests of the business centre notice that immediately. It is much convenient to park a car, get out of it or put a child into a seat’, the manager of the fund was talking about small but meaningful solutions.
He added, that when designing the building, attention was focused also on cyclists, for whom safe and spacious bicycle storage spaces, showers with lockers were installed.
Once you enter the k29 building, the huge atrium full of life greets you. According to Mr. Dargužis, this space was designed not only for office workers but also for guests to spend much time here. Picture and photograph exhibitions and conferences, various presentations take place here.
At present, 100% of the k29 building is rented. Tenants of the building include AIG insurance company, Nasdaq stock exchange operator, TIA Technology IT services company, KPMG auditing, tax and business consulting company, Pohjola bank, Seesam insurance company, Lindorff debt management company, UniCredit Leasing company, Miele domestic and commercial equipment manufacturer, notary bureau No. 32.
Lords LB Asset Management is investment management company licensed by the Bank of Lithuania, providing services to institutional and private investors since 2008. At present, Lords LB Asset Management controls 13 funds: nine real estate funds, two private capital funds and two energy and infrastructure funds. The total value of the assets controlled by the funds in the end of July 2016 was EUR 258 million.