“Let’s place all the mossy huts to the museum!” – a nationally modern idea of ​​bricked Lithuania”

During 1920s, a number of industrial enterprises were created, which became important pillars of the state economy. As in the case of “Maistas”, “Pienocentras” or “Palemonas”, these were not only Lithuanian capital-generating companies generating revenue for the state treasury, but also companies behind the long-term and visionary strategic goals of state modernization. For example, in the case of “Maistas”, these were the export of meat products abroad, the modernization of the Lithuanian food industry and the supplying of the local market, and in the case of “Palemonas”, the implementation of the bricked Lithuania idea.

“The brick industry was small, irrationally designed and badly managed. Bricks were always more expensive than forest material and they were still in short supply. […] The choice of building material was determined by the price and the lack of craftsmen in brick construction. For a long time, there were more wooden construction craftsmen in Lithuania than brick ones.”

 

Advertisement of “Palemonas” company.  Source: M. Drėmaitė, „Progreso meteoras. Modernizacija ir pramonės architektūra Lietuvoje 1920–1940“. Vilnius, 2016 m.

 

With the growth and modernization of construction in interwar Lithuania, also the construction industry expanded and improved. One of the reasons for Lithuania’s backwardness in construction was the lack of bricks.

Also, wooden architecture still dominated in Lithuania. In 1937 brick buildings still accounted for only 6% of all buildings, although 38% of brick houses were already under construction in cities that year. At the state level, the Brick Construction Program was only approved by the government in 1939 and provided for: the establishment of rural bricks, an increase in brick production, a reduction in cost, the application of standard projects, the establishment of a state-owned construction company, and many other modernization activities. This plan not only had to modernize the Lithuanian economy, but also, according to the organizers, had an important cultural significance, as it was aimed at improving the environment and quality of life.

“The ill-fated psychological attitude that brick buildings are only available in cities, and only for richer people, has hindered its spread. Many people still do not think that extensive brick construction throughout Lithuania (both urban and rural) is possible and necessary.”

 

Loading and unloading of the bricks. Photo source: „Vytauto Didžiojo mirties 500 metų sukaktuvėms paminėti albumas. 1430–1930“. Kaunas, 1933.

 

The largest industrial brickyard in Lithuania

At that time, the most rational were considered industrial bricks with Hoffman or zigzag furnaces. It was also important to reduce the cost of transporting bricks, so it was recommended to build them as densely as possible and as close as possible to convenient transport roads – railways and rivers, so that the delivery of bricks would be as cheap as possible.

In 1923 “Palemonas”, the largest and most modern company producing high-quality bricks and tiles, was established, supplying the country with 7-8 million. bricks, which were also used for the construction of many Kaunas buildings. It was established by the efforts of the Vailokaičiai brothers, Vladas Geiga – a mountain engineer, and several other businessmen of the time, who raised an initial capital of 1,200,000 Litas. A very modern brick production line was installed next to the railway. Basically, they were large sheds: dryers and warehouses, a boiler house and a combustion building, but all the objects in the company were geometrically and neatly arranged, the buildings were utilitarian but unified in composition and materials, the administrative and residential areas were separated by greenery.

 

Excavation and transportation of clay. Photo source: „Vytauto Didžiojo mirties 500 metų sukaktuvėms paminėti albumas. 1430–1930“. Kaunas, 1933.

 

“We were affected by the ill-fated belief that wooden huts were warmer and healthier to live in than brick ones. And in fact, poorly built wooden huts are damp and cold, much like badly built brick huts. Well-equipped brick huts are as healthy to live as well-equipped wooden ones, because after all, the entire civilized world lives in them.”

 

Tile production department and loading of bricks into wagons. Photo source: „Vytauto Didžiojo mirties 500 metų sukaktuvėms paminėti albumas. 1430–1930“. Kaunas, 1933.

 

In the post-war years, the “Palemonas” brick-and-tile factory assembled equipment looted during the war and produced more and more products every year. Neveroniai and Karčiupis quarry clay is still used in production. Sand and sawdust are also needed as additives. It is the only remaining brick factory in Lithuania, which is currently managed by company “Palemono keramika”.

This text was prepared by Žilvinas Rinkšelis

Sources of information:

M. Drėmaitė, „Progreso meteoras. Modernizacija ir pramonės architektūra Lietuvoje 1920–1940“. Vilnius, 2016 m.

Photos by M. Plepys (“Ekskursas”), 2016.

Highlights of the urban areas

A water tower is an engineering structure – part of a water supply system – the main part of which is a water tank raised at a certain height. The reservoir is designed to store and use water supplies during peak water demand, also raised water creates pressure in the water system.

There are 8 water supply towers in Lithuania counted as heritage objects. These are structures built in the interwar period or earlier. Most of the later ones were built during the Soviet era. They were built of various materials: metals, reinforced concrete, bricks. The height of the water towers is variable: in rural areas, metal towers of 10 to 25 m are common, while in urban areas, reinforced concrete towers of up to 50 m can be found.

Water towers are still dominating the cityscapes of many urban areas. Nevertheless, today their destinies are different: some of them are still functioning as they were originally intended, or serves as viewpoints and the place for communication systems, others are demolished as redundant structures. But also, various initiatives are emerging that offers creative insights.

 

Water tower as an opportunity

Creatively transformed water towers for years have been highlights of many cities in the US, Australia and Europe. It is gratifying that these tendencies do not overtake Lithuania either. There is already a climbing center on the tower in Jonava, and the towers in Kretinga are planned to be used as reflections of the city image.

In 2019 the community of Akademija in Kaunas District became a part of the Kaunas 2022 project and for half a year zealously collected memories and stories of residents about their town. During this process, it turned out that most people feel great sentiment for the 11th (Marvos) Fort, where there was a beach, it was customary to spend time with families or fall in love. After long debates, a need to rethink the sense of place appeared and to encourage people to come back here. The artistic tool – an interactive installation of light lasers – was chosen for this purpose. It was created by artists Linas Kutavičius and Linas Ramanauskas together with the community. These lasers turned the huge water tower into a modern lighthouse, not only for the community, but also for guests, inviting them to gather in a memorable place. This light installation can still be seen at the end of the day, in the dark.

This tower also attracted attention several years ago. In 2018 The water tower of Akademija became a place for a national flag. The initiative was implemented by “Kauno vandenys” (water supply company) and its employees to commemorate the centenary of the restored independent state of Lithuania.

Text by Žilvinas Rinkšelis

Photos by Kaunas 2022 and  L. Steponavičiaus (diena.lt).

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!

This building, devoted to the professional and cultural interests of workers, has the severe and sparse appearance of an administration building. The building is composed of two four-storey blocks laid out alongside the streets. In the yard there is a two-storey volume, at the end of which there is a raised stage for a theater auditorium with a balcony. On the first floor of the Vytautas Blvd. block, there is a smaller club hall; and in the basement there is a sports hall. On the third floor of the Kęstutis St. block there were rooms for teaching. The Chamber of Labor, comprehensively meeting workers` cultural education needs, was an institution without equal in Lithuania.

Žaliakalnis Funicular is a funicular railway in Kaunas. Built in 1931, it is the oldest funicular in Lithuania and is among the oldest vehicles of such type in the world still operational. It was constructed by engineering firm Curt Rudolph Transportanlagen from Dresden, Germany with electrical equipment from AEG and mechanical parts from Bell Maschinenfabrik, Switzerland. The official opening was on 5 August 1931 with one passenger car, while the second car was only a platform ballasted with stones used to counterbalance the passenger car. The electric overhead power cable and the pantographs of the coaches are only used for lighting and heating of the cars. The upper station housed the electrically driven funicular mechanism in the basement, whilst the lower end of the line did not even have a shelter until 1932. The funicular succeeded and became very popular transportation for the city inhabitants and guests. It is known that about 5 million passengers were moved using it between 1950 and 1970.

Custodian of savings of Lithuanians

Year 2019 marked exactly one hundred years since the first State Savings Fund was opened in 1919. During the period of independence, it was one of the most important institutions for accumulating the savings of Lithuanians. The goal was officially announced: “To accept deposits to increase percentages and give the population savings to increase.” It was centralized-type State Savings Fund for which the state was responsible. They were subordinate to and supervised by the Minister of Finance and were directly headed by a board consisting of a head administrator and 5 members.

However, at the beginning this fund was not very popular among the population. Such a situation lasted until 1931, after the global economic crisis and the improvement of the statutes of association, the number of their customers began to grow rapidly. In 1939, the number of deposits reached a record high – the total amount was almost 70 million Litas. In terms of the amount of deposits, only the Bank of Lithuania and commercial banks outperformed the National Savings Bank, but the lag behind them was constantly decreasing. The Bank became one of the main custodians of savings, and the deposits and capital were used to lend for various clients: for municipalities to build schools and hospitals, to improve infrastructure, for other credit companies, for private companies and residents, and to reward artists and works of art.

 

Building visualization. Source: Laikinosios sostinės architektai. Kauno apskrities viešosios bibliotekos virtuali paroda, 2015 m. 

 

Vivid architectural accent

Given the importance of the representation and solidity of state-owned banks and other financial institutions in the eyes of the public, it is not surprising that special attention was also paid to the construction of this bank building on a representative city street. In 1940, just before the state occupation, the “skyscraper” of Laisvės Avenue became the one of the last bright architectural accents the street, marking the guidelines for further urban development of the city. For the convenience of the staff in the six-storey building, even two elevators were placed, but it was no longer surprising at the time. But the pneumatic post, which accelerated correspondence “trips” in the building, was a truly modern attribute of the institution, unfortunately, this tool has not survived to this day. A safe was also placed in the basement of the building. As in the case of many public buildings in Kaunas, it was shared by several institutions. In addition to the savings banks, it housed the Department of Commerce, the Statistical Office and various other state institutions. The building consists of 6- and 5-storey buildings, forming a semi-enclosed courtyard. The building is characterized by strict geometric shapes, laconic planar and compositional structure. A revolving door is installed at the main entrance to the place.

 

 

Witness to the struggle for freedom

Historical circumstances have made this building a witness to the struggle for freedom on several occasions. Only a short press release of the time testifies the first occasion today. Without it this event would probably have been completely forgotten. On the eve of World War II, after a year-long Soviet occupation, Inspector of State Savings Bank V. Rudminas decided to raise a flag of independent Lithuania on one of the tallest buildings on Laisvės Alley, but he was shot and soon died in hospital.

After the Second World War, Kaunas Executive and Communist Party committees were placed in this building and operated here until 1990. After Lithuania regained its independence, Kaunas City Municipality was established in the building. It became one of the buildings to be defended during the events of January 1991, as the aftermath of the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania. In 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 the State Savings Bank.

Text by Žilvinas Rinkšelis

Photos by L. Mykolaitis, 2018 and M. Plepys (“Ekskursas”), 2015.