The house belonged to Elijošius Šnaideris. It was built in just half a year! Each floor had two apartments: one three-room, one four-room. As was customary, the best rooms were joined by sliding half-doors; on the courtyard side near the kitchens there were two small rooms for the maids; but there was no second, household staircase, probably for space-saving reasons; there was, however, an elevator. In order visually to decrease the apparent height of the house, the fourth storey was made narrower than the lower three. The house stands out for its elegance, its lovely shapes and proportions no less than its well-chosen details of which Kudokas was a real master. And the flowing balconies with their rounded-out ends endow the building with extraordinary gracefulness.

 

Photo of the house, 1938. Source: Lithuanian Registry of Cultural Heritage.

 

Unfortunately, we know little about the owners and residents of the building. Only so much that its owners did not enjoy the newly built house for a long time. According to the list of Lithuanian Jewish deportees, the owner of the house Elijas, his wife Liuba and their daughter Ruta, born in 1938, were deported to the Tomsk region, Siberia in 1941. 2015 According to the decision of the European Commission, 44 objects of Kaunas interwar modernism architecture were included in the list of the European Heritage Label, including this house.

Photos by Ž. Rinkšelis, 2019.

Owned by Kazimieras Škėma, a famous lawyer, this house had five floors, which in the interwar years was a rarity. During its construction the owner hat to negotiate hard in order to get its height approved by the municipality`s building commission, since it diverged noticeably from general height level of the structures on V. Putvinskis Street. Each floor contained a five-room apartment. Apartments in this house were rented by the Swedish and Czechoslovak legations. In 1933 on the slope of the courtyard a three-storey auxiliary building was built to house the garage, the drivers` quarters, and glazed orangery on the top floor.

This multiresidential dwelling was always exceptional because of its location and expressive architectural language. The corner position of the house determined that both facades of the building are equally representative and decorative, while its garret was furnished with an expressive turret decorated with art deco elements.

 

Expression and luxury for respectable residents

This building was built in 1929 by a famous doctor and therapist of that time and political activist Pranas Gudavičius-Gudas (1876–1956). The building served as a hospital, managed by Doctor Gudavičius for many years. He lived there himself as well. The house was designed by a famous architect of Kaunas Edmundas Frykas. The luxurious and exceptional multiresidential dwelling served as a house for other famous Lithuanian public figures of that time: up until 1935, it was home for a Latvian diplomat and attaché of war in Lithuania, Fricis Kociņš, and also Minister of Education and professor of Vytautas Magnus University, Vincas Čepinskis. In the 1930s, the house was used for State Tax Inspectorate of Kaunas County.

When after the war Professor P. Gudavičius moved to the United States of America and died, the house was nationalised and the apartments were distributed to new residents. The building has always been exceptional not only because of the location chosen for it, but also because of the architectural language suiting it perfectly. The corner position of the house determined that both of its faces are equally representative and decorated, windows of various forms are arranged on its facade, it has decorative balconies, artistic masks and geometrical ornaments. It is one of the most luxurious witnesses of its past that reached our times.

 

Discovery of cultural layers

Having decided to invest into the interwar heritage, in 2017, two young businessmen decided to purchase an apartment on the third floor. According to them, they purchased the apartment because Kaunas architecture helped them to fulfill their dream and travel not only in time, but also to the greatest metropolises of the world: New York, Paris and Berlin. It soon became evident that the authentic oak parquet, tiles in the kitchen and the bathroom and window handles are not the only witnesses of the luxury that reigned in the apartment: during the restoration of the apartment, unique wall ornaments, characteristic to art deco and art nouveau styles, were uncovered. Another interesting discovery is a print on the other side of the tiles that we know perfectly fine even today: Villeroy & Boch. The same tiles as in this apartment can also be found at Mies van der Rohe’s Villa Tugendhat, located in Brno (the Czech Republic).

With the help of restorers and researchers of architecture, the authenticity of the apartment was recreated as much as possible, including their colors and many fine details of the interior. An apartment that was restored as a private initiative and using private funds, became a memorable adventure not only for its new owners, but also the entire house community as well: at the end of 2017, the house community, city municipality and house administrator joined forces to renovate the facade of this cultural heritage as well. Another significant success story of heritage preservation, featuring great knack for initiatives, urban culture and attention to the past. It is a great gift for the city, and a souvenir of the time it flourished.

We thank the residents of this house, Karolis Banis and Petras Gaidamavičius, for the collected and shared information!

Text by Žilvinas Rinkšelis

Sources of information:

Kaunas architectural guide. Vilnius, 2015.

Facebook page: Gedimino 48

 

Do you live in this house? Or do you know the stories associated with it? – Tell us! This assistance is invaluable for Kaunas and Kaunas District as a contemporary European Capital of Culture 2022 and for those who want to know more about it. Let’s share our stories about architecture!

Photos by L. Mykolaitis, Ž. Rinkšelis and K. Banys, 2018–2020.

A cooperative formed for the purpose of building residential house

During the interwar period in Kaunas, it became common for representatives of the same profession to gather for the construction of large residential houses. Here they not only settled with their families, but also used these apartments for their individual practice or work. This is how part of modern apartment buildings have emerged. This one was no exception. The highest-ranking officials of the Supreme Tribunal of Lithuania established one of the first apartment construction cooperatives, calling it simply “Butas” (a Flat). In 1932, away from the noisy city center (the street was still under construction here), the community built a house where they could not only live but also work – the layout of the apartments allowed them to receive clients without disturbing family life. It is interesting that not only its architect Jonas Kriščiukaitis himself, but also his brother Kazys, as well as a member of the cooperative, a famous public figure Antanas Kriščiukaitis (Aišbė) – a writer, researcher, first chairman of the Supreme Tribunal, lived here.

Another famous resident of this house was Liudas Ciplijauskas. He was not only a lawyer, but also an active public figure – he participated in the activities of various societies and public movements, and was a patron. In interwar Lithuania (1930–1936), the largest charity project lasting 6 years was implemented. Its goal was to raise a million litas for a unique monument – the National Museum, that could be used by many generations of Lithuanians. Thus, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the death of Vytautas the Great, it was planned to build a Museum of Culture in his name in the temporary capital of Kaunas. Among the patrons there was also the name of L. Ciplijauskas.

 

A residential house with “thermometer”

While the reinforced concrete construction was still completely new in Lithuania, the buildings built in this way often received public attention – at the same time, when the reinforced concrete building of the “Pienocentras” company began to rise, passers-by on Laisvės avenue were very surprised and called it the “American construction”. The house of the company “Butas” also stood out with its modernity – such houses of minimalist, clean and modern forms were still a rarity in the temporary capital. By the way, did you know how Poles are calling such high and narrow staircase windows of such modernist apartment buildings? Thermometers!

Text by Nerijus Babrauskas and Žilvinas Rinkšelis

Photos by Ž. Rinkšelis, 2019.

“Lincoln” car ran through the gates of huge house on Kęstutis Street and turned into the yard. There was a small two-storey house with a garage on the ground floor.

– This house is ours, – Kazys showed a mass of big house waving his head. There should be, five floors, I was lazy to count. On the other hand, what’s the difference for me?” (V. Sirijos Gira “Raudonmedžio rojus”, 1972 m.)

 

The benchmark for modern and luxurious construction

Over ten thousand new buildings were built in Kaunas during the twenty years of inter-war independence. Modern multi-storey residential houses – a sign of prosperity in the capital – started to germinate in the center of Kaunas. These new houses had to meet new hygiene and construction requirements – more light in the rooms, no houses were allowed, where the maid’s rooms are dark and without windows, and all four-storey and larger buildings should offer elevator. House of J. Lapėnas not only met all these requirements, he quickly became a luxury benchmark and was named one of Kaunas “skyscrapers”.

 

Self-taught merchant from Pasvalys District

The house belonged to the director of “Maistas” – the largest food processing company, which had a monopoly on export of meat products in the country – Jonas Lapėnas. Already at the age of 13, a self-taught “seller” has been selling at the Pumpėnai shop. Although he did not complete his studies, it did not prevent him from becoming a famous and active person. Being a member of an active political movement, and since 1929, as its chairman, J. Lapėnas has contributed to the establishment of the Lithuanian Nationalist Fund for providing loans and scholarships to gifted but poor young people. The energetic economist was also the chairman of the management of “Lietuvos muilas” and “Lietūkis” companies. Among the areas of interest of the entrepreneur were the press and culture – he was one of the founders of the publishing company “Pažanga” and theater “Vilkolakis”.
In 1935, J. Lapėnas was accused of financial misuse in “Maistas” company and was sued. Entrepreneur was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment in Kaunas heavy duty prison. The paradox of destiny – the prison building was under the windows of his own house – both on Kęstutis Street. Later, the Court of Appeal annulled the verdict for the entrepreneur, but J. Lapėnas did not hear the final decision – acquittal died in 1937.

 

The house described in a novel

The house was distinguished by luxury, created by quality finishing materials and quality of work. There were even two elevators in the house, but only one of them still remains in our day. From 1938 to 1939 Polish Embassy rented the apartments in the second floor. The building of exclusive architecture also fell into the pages of popular literature, it is featured in the famous novel “Raudonmedžio rojus” (“The Mahogany Paradise” by V. Sirijos Gira). After the nationalization of the building in Soviet times, it housed the dormitory of the Agricultural Academy, and later the research institute. The legend of the house is still alive today – so far, local Kaunas people still call this house in the name of Lapėnas. In 2019, the reconstruction of the building was completed. Today, the building is housed by young and active businesses and the owners cherish its unique history.

Text by Žilvinas Rinkšelis

 

To counter the effect of the tzar’s interdiction to erect buildings with more than two floors in Kaunas, new legislation was passed after the country regained its independence. To purposefully destroy the flattish city’s landscape, and to model Kaunas after the examples of Europe’s capitals, it became forbidden to erect buildings with less than three floors around the Laisvės avenue and the Vytautas boulevard. Some rose even higher. When the Chaimsonai’s private residence was completed, on the Maironis street in 1930, the new building was met with sincere astonishment by the city’s residents. As the rest of the neighbourhood didn’t commit to the building’s owners race for new heights, this condo building remained unchallenged in its category in interwar Kaunas.
The building, albeit anecdotally, was immortalised in literature. The main character of Vytautas Sirija Gira’s novel “Mahogany Paradise”, Karolis Tuleikis, mentions this giant in the following terms: “One way or the other, the house where I lived was, in 1935, Kaunas’ skyscraper. The only things that were higher back then were the churches’ towers and the former town hall – the White Swan.”

 

Text by Žilvinas Rinkšelis

This private residence, located next to a busy boulevard, rightfully draws the eye of many a passersby. The building stands out among its modernistic Kaunas’ peers by its looks and decorative details, and breaks away from Lithuanian architectural tradition. Its outlandish looks have probably fuelled the many stories and rumours about its uncommon origins.
According to its contemporaries, this expressive residence is a real-life copy of images found in foreign newspapers and books of the time. Its original owners would have had the architect take an example from these foreign pictures, and build a house that would be an example for the whole of Kaunas. As a result, the building is rich in contrasts – its rich decorum mixes both art nouveau and art deco styles, while its front (street) and back (inner court) façades exhibit surprisingly different looks.
The back façade is remarkably modern, and could, with its nicely-balanced proportions, perfectly fit in any of today’s streets of the Naujamiestis district. This house epitomises the peculiarity of Kaunas’ modernistic heritage. Throughout all the independence period, buildings always tended to exhibit an official-looking, confidence-inspiring front façade, while the back façade would be of much simpler aesthetics, devoid of any decorums, and reflect a more day-to-day, modern image of what life in the city is really like.