3000 3000 3000 3000 3000
urban vision
2023/2024
author - Povilas Šimonėlis
supervisors - Aurimas Syrusas, Sigitas Sparnaitis
The challenge of this project was to create an urban vision where the urban fabric starts to break down, different architectural characters meet. Around here lies an imaginary boundary between old town (medieval part), the “new town” (XVIII - XIXth century) and industrial (XXth century) Vilnius.
The idea was to incorporate those different characters and their interpretations in a unifying masterplan. It was attempted to achieve that by mixing traditional “human” scale for public spaces with more brutal and industrial facade and volume compositions and creating a variety of different types of spaces and “vibes”.
This academic project was part of the 4th year (first semester) of integrated architecture master studies.
Project Overview
"3000" is an academic urban design proposal for a pivotal yet fragmented quarter in Vilnius, Lithuania, where the city's medieval, 19th-century, and industrial architectural characters collide and break down. This conceptual masterplan tackles urban decay and spatial segregation by proposing a new, self-sufficient neighborhood. It is a visionary exercise that reinterprets the aesthetics of brutalism and industry not as relics of the past, but as the foundation for a vibrant, human-scale future.
The Concept: Dialectics of Scales and Characters
The core idea of "3000" is to create a unifying urban fabric from this clash of histories. The project does not seek to erase the existing dissonance but to orchestrate it into a new, coherent whole. It proposes a dialectical synthesis:
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The Grand & the Industrial: The raw, bold scale of brutalist forms and industrial aesthetics provides the project with its powerful, iconic identity.
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The Human & the Intimate: Traditional, finely-grained urban planning ensures that public spaces, streets, and squares remain walkable, inviting, and scaled to human experience.
This creates a district with a variety of unique "vibes" – from quiet, residential courtyards to dynamic, monumental public plazas.
Urban and Programmatic Strategy
The masterplan is a true mixed-use ecosystem designed for complete living. It integrates:
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Residential Functions: A variety of housing typologies, including co-living units and long-term rental apartments, foster a sense of community.
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Cultural & Social Hubs: Spaces for clubs, galleries, and a community center activate the neighborhood and serve as a cultural magnet.
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Administrative & Commercial Spaces: Providing local jobs and services to ensure the quarter's vitality and self-sufficiency.
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Green Infrastructure: Exploitable green roofs and landscaped areas blend nature with the urban fabric, enhancing sustainability and wellbeing.
Architectural Language: A New Brutalism
The architecture serves as the physical manifestation of the concept. Volumes are composed with a bold, tectonic clarity that references the site's industrial heritage. However, this robustness is tempered by the use of green roofs, intimate setbacks, and a careful massing that ensures sunlight. The facades are envisioned as a contemporary interpretation of brutalist honesty, creating a striking, memorable aesthetic that firmly roots the project in its unique context.
Conclusion: A Model for Future Urban Regeneration
Developed as a 4th-year Master's project, "3000" transcends its academic framework to present a compelling argument for the future of urban districts. It demonstrates how to embrace a site's complex history and fragmented state, using them as catalysts for innovation rather than obstacles. It is a proposal for a neighborhood that is both visually powerful and deeply humane, offering a scalable model for regenerating urban crossroads into thriving, cohesive communities.
3000