Historic homestead – art centre

In Panevėžys, deep in Skaistakalnis Park, there is the homestead of the poet Juozas Čerkesas Besparnis. A former cultural hotspot after reconstruction has been revived as a creativity center "Pragiedruliai".

During the interwar period, the brick manor house was the most important gathering place for Panevėžys intellectuals. Unfortunately, during the Soviet era, the building was nationalized and turned into ruins - a ghost house. In 2017, we won an architectural competition, proposing how to restore a heritage homestead, enlarge it with a modern extension and provide space for artists' residences and a modern center for creative industries.

The adaptation of the homestead for cultural life consisted of two phases: the reconstruction of the old brick building, preserving the historic character of the homestead, and the new extension which takes advantage of the terrain differences between the homestead and the stream. The curved glass extension easily blends in with the trees and terrain of Skaistakalnis Park and does not overshadow the historic farmhouse, through the windows, the landscape of the park blends into the interior spaces of the building.

• Client: Panevėžys City Municipality
• Project: reconstruction and expansion of the historic homestead
• Location: Panevėžys, Lithuania
• Floor area: 700 sq. m.
• Year: 2017 – the tender was won. 2018–2022 – reconstruction of the historic house. 2021–2023 – construction of the new extension.
• Team: Tadas Jonauskis, Ignas Račkauskas, Lukas Kulikauskas, Augustas Makrickas, Justina Muliuolytė
• Photos: Paulius Vepštas, panevezysnow.lt, Gediminas Kartanas, Panevėžio miesto savivaldybė