AEXN architects

Project is set in one of Panevėžys’ most important urban locations, positioned between the recently renovated Laisvės Square and the soon-to-be revitalized Savanorių Square. The site is shaped by two seemingly opposite factors: the building will form part of the square’s perimeter, yet it also lies along the path of a street that disappeared by the mid-20th century. In response, the design places a building in line with the surrounding height limits and preserves a public passage – a pedestrian arcade – connecting the two squares.

Respecting the historical urban fabric, gaps are left between the new building and its southern and northern neighbors. These intervals maintain a “porous” perimeter and provide the main entrances. Located within Panevėžys’ historic core, a designated cultural heritage area, the project responds to a complex context of varied eras, heights, and architectural styles. In Savanorių Square, the surrounding buildings range from 2 to 5 storeys, so the planned 17 m structure is proportioned to harmonize rather than compete.

The form combines the fine-grained scale of pre-war architecture with the more monumental post-war structures, creating a modern yet contextual volume. From the third floor, a gently curving wall-roof surface adds an elegant silhouette, marking a subtle transition between history and the present.