The site between I. Simonaitytė and M. Jankaus streets has not met the needs of the residents for a long time. This part of Pilaitė lacked equipped spaces for quiet and active recreation, sports, games, meetings, and community celebrations.
Architectural idea – Little Lithuania Square
The authors of the project aim to continue the perpetuation of Little Lithuania in Pilaite by means of landscape formation and architecture. The atmosphere of Lithuania Minor is created in the square by using elements of the landscape of Lithuania Minor (trees, bushes and grass), landforms (dune, flat meadow), textures (wood, sand, vegetation).
For example, children’s play space devices, other elements of small architecture are made of wood and other natural materials, the color solution is moderate, close to the built environment.
Consistently thought out functional areas
The designed square is divided into different (active, passive, community and individual recreation) functional zones.
The main highlight of the northern part of the newly created square is a partially planted sand hill, which creates a special atmosphere of dunes typical of Little Lithuania and the Baltic Sea.
In the western part, it is planned to install a reflexological path of different structured surfaces with alternating strips of polished wood and stones of various sizes. When walking barefoot along such a path, the filling of different textures massages biologically active points of the feet, relieves fatigue, promotes relaxation, resistance to stressful situations, reduces fatigue and irritability, and activates the body’s own defenses.
In the central part of the square, far enough from the street, there is a children’s playground with a rubber surface. The site is designed in such a way that it is protected by planted greenery, it is visible from the recreational areas for adults, and sudden escapes to the street are avoided even without fencing it.
The southern part of the square is dedicated to community events and recreational activities on the grass. The lawn is surrounded by a pedestrian path and greenery, which limits street noise and sudden escapes into the street, a spruce is planted next to it for decoration during the winter holidays, and electrical connections are installed for community events. The existing rest areas planted with pine trees (parts of the “eights”) can be used for meetings, small events, board games, and picnics.
In the eastern part of the square, an active recreation area has been designed – a mini football field with equipment, artificial grass and a multifunctional basketball/volleyball/tennis field with equipment, rain cover. In order to reduce the noise, this area is separated from the neighboring residential building by a mass of greenery with a quiet recreation area. It is planned to install a drinking water fountain next to the sports field.
For the convenience of visitors
Each space is equipped with the small architecture required for its functions (benches, tables, trash cans, bike racks). Benches – of different designs, with or without a backrest – can be placed one by one or grouped together. Oiled tropical hardwood wood is used for them, which over time acquires the color of sun- and wind-scorched wood paths.
Pedestrian paths are adapted for people with disabilities (two places for people with disabilities are provided in the M. Jankaus St. parking area), pregnant women and those carrying children in strollers. A castable pebble mixture coating, bonded with polyurethane resin, with a water-permeable surface is used.
Attention to the safety of visitors
The territory is planned to be illuminated and video surveillance cameras installed. Rainwater is planned to be collected in the ground and in the newly installed rain sewerage networks.
