The residential blocks each have individual architectural styles and were created by highly experienced architects: Edgaras Neniškis, Vytenis Gerliakas and Gintaras Čaikauskas. The approximately two-year-long construction works were performed by tender winners, construction companies Sivysta, Panevėžio Statybos Trestas and Naresta. The investment into the three blocks reached almost 50 million euro.
“We can finally call Paupys a revived area. In the blocks we built, already more than 300 families are settling in, a significant number of them believed in the area’s success. At the same time, the construction works had just begun,” Darnu Group CEO Sigita Survilaitė-Mekionienė says.
According to her, when creating living spaces, the most important goal was to harmoniously integrate the project into its surrounding natural environment, balance the architectural requirements dictated by the city’s history and the desire to create modern convenience for the everyday lives of Paupys residents with all the prerequisite attributes of high-class apartments: class A energy efficiency, recuperation systems installed in the apartments, floor heating, natural materials used in construction, terraces. Some of the apartments were offered fully decorated to those interested in moving in as soon as possible.
All the residential blocks were built so that they could contain spacious closed yards for children’s playgrounds and resting zones. Underground parking lots were built for keeping cars.
Paupys – the company’s third conversion project in Vilnius
The 7-hectare Paupys in the city’s Old Town district is one of the largest conversion projects of no longer functional spaces. It was included in the Vilnius city municipality’s 2010-2020 strategic plan Architektūros Parkas.
This conversion project adheres to all the requirements of a multifunctional area: Paupys will feature not only residential spaces – the buildings’ ground floors already see businesses settling in, which will fulfil the city residents’ everyday needs: cafes, shops, beauty service providers, an art gallery. One of the blocks also contains a city square with comfortable benches and a fountain. The square’s visitors will have an open view of the Paupys public and business block, which will be host to not only offices – there will also be various restaurants, shops, a pharmacy, bank service branch, the cinema Pasaka and a new centre of gravity for Vilnius residents – Paupio Turgus, where the best food producers will offer their products, also featuring various eateries and cafes, a gourmet food academy, as well as where various events will be held.
In the midst of completing its third conversion project in Vilnius, the CEO of Darnu Group says that transformation is a unique process because it involves numerous pursuits of creativity and new values.
“Both in creating Antakalnio Terasos and Užupio Krantinės, as well as reviving the historical Paupys area of the Old Town, I would describe as one of the most creative and at the same time one of the most difficult steps as being the restoration of the city’s old territories, returning them to city residents in a modern shape, which embodies contemporary needs and is a match for the surrounding environment,” S. Survilaitė-Mekionienė says.
Pandemic does not halt constructions
Currently, the reviving area is host to another two construction works – the 4th and 7th blocks, also the Paupys public and business block is being fitted out, with some of the premises there already being transferred to tenants already.
In total, Darnu Group is investing over 150 million euro into the Paupys area conversion project.
