Merging New Design with Modernist Heritage

Vaidila Square was originally designed in the 1970s as the heart of a modernist housing estate. However, over the decades, it fell into disrepair and became dominated by parked cars. In 2021, the square was redesigned, once again becoming a vibrant urban center.

The Vaidila Square complex, along with its surrounding public and residential buildings in Klaipėda, Lithuania, is a unique example of Soviet-era modernism. The design blends modern architecture with elements of folk art, including wooden sculptures of pagan creatures, bas-reliefs, and facade decorations. The biggest challenge of the redesign was balancing a contemporary urban look with preserving the square’s original character.

The renewal process for Vaidila Square began in 2015, when the urbanist studio “PUPA / Life Over Space” created a development vision for the neighborhood. Revitalizing the neighborhood park and central square was prioritized to improve the quality of life for residents of the aging estate. The urban planning and public space design involved a highly inclusive process, featuring public participation activities such as workshops, debates, presentations, co-creation sessions, and sketching exercises. The design was finalized in 2017, and the square reopened to the public in 2021.

The new design retains the square’s original rectangular structure while introducing new activity areas—playgrounds, a dancing fountain, a stage for community events, a bicycle path, and additional green spaces and trees. The old fountain, featuring wooden sculptures of pagan figures like Vaidila, Aitvaras, and Bildukas, was restored. A standout feature of the redesigned public space is its custom-designed modular benches, arranged in various configurations to support socializing among different age groups, small gatherings, rest, or people-watching.

Vaidila Square exemplifies how outdated large-scale housing neighborhoods can adopt a modern, welcoming look. The public space renewal has sparked wider regeneration in the district: property values around the square are rising, and building owners are more inclined to invest in renovations. The district’s image is evolving as well—what was once a forgotten neighborhood is now a desirable place to live. The redesign preserves the qualities of modernist urban planning while enriching the area with spaces that promote social inclusion, equity, community engagement, an active lifestyle, and activities for teenagers.

In 2022, Vaidila Square was awarded the best landscape architecture project in Lithuania, highlighting its success in urban renewal and design.

Project data

Landscape architecture: PUPA
PUPA team: Tadas Jonauskis, Justina Muliuolytė, Lukas Kulikauskas, Ignas Račkauskas, Augustas Makrickas, Artūras Čertovas, Gytis Aglinskas
Client: Klaipėda City Municipality
Size of the territory: 0,95 ha
Other designers involved in the design of landscape:
Terra Firma LT (collaborating landscape architects)
Ademo grupė (project management and engineering)
Project location: Taikos pr. 39T, Klaipėda, 91150 Klaipėdos m. sav. Lithuania
Year completed: 2021
Photo credits: Norbert Tukaj