Šnipiškės: The conversion of a historic suburb into the new centre of Vilnius

Abstract

Located in the very centre of Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, Šnipiškės is one of the oldest historic suburbs of the city. Thanks to its very favourable location and business interests triggered by it, it is also a territory with the fastest-changing landscape. This historically-evolved very green area, mostly of homestead-type buildings of small rustic scale, has been recently overcome by tall glass office towers, rows of apartment blocks, and new streets laid out between them. Massive volumes of the new buildings, their concentration, and the speed of construction point to the high economic value of land plots and the scale of economic interests. The speed and nature of large-scale changes are alarming to the residents of Vilnius and social critics, and the consequences for the city and its community are unpredictable and likely to be long-lasting. Although the true value of the hastily created new urban structure and architecture will only become apparent and finally appreciated after some time, current intensive conversion of the historic suburb into the new centre of Vilnius calls for a closer look at the ongoing changes, which are significant for the continuity of the city’s identity.