Proposed for an island park in the Kaunas River, the National Science & Innovation Centre will signal the historic City’s reinvention as an emerging scientific and technological hub. The client envisions an immersive, experiential museum – comparable to the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw and Copenhagen's Experimentarium – that will serve as a teaching tool for sustainability and help establish the City as a new global destination for education and innovation.
The design of the net-zero Centre unfolds into a flowing origami-like sequence, inspired by the geometry of the site. Extensive glazing opens views in and out of the building, whose massive cantilever also frames new perspectives – below, within, and atop the structure – from which to engage with the park, the City, and the river. An expansive green roof, punctuated by photovoltaic arrays, creates an upper-level park accessible by ramps rising from the entry plaza.
The Centre is crowned by a performative tower within which water pumped from the river will power an exchange system that works in concert with the dual-skin thermal building envelope, enabling the building to “breathe” in response to climatic conditions.
Building Facts
- 93,000 GSF
- Galleries
- Black box theatre
- Experimentorium
- Physics Research Lab
- Robotics Research Lab
- Chemistry Research Lab
- Biology Research Lab
- Virtual Planetarium
- Cafe
Awards & Honors
Designed for Discovery
The parti for the folded and sculpted design arose from the ways in which the existing site geometries revealed the potential of the site itself, folding and unfolding like origami.
To tie the building experience to its landscape, we cantilevered the structure, creating a raised park while preserving access and views at ground plane. The Centre frames new perspectives – below, within, and atop - from which to engage the landscape.
Exhibition areas and amenities are organized on one level in one continuous space that can be flexibly subdivided as program needs evolve.
A grand plaza enhances visitors’ sense of arrival, its stairs functioning as metaphorical wings channeling visitors up to the main entrance and down to a new recreational pier.
In Spring and Autumn, a centralized exhaust/relief air fan operates only during natural ventilation mode to induce outside air flow through the building.
In Summer, building relief air is collected through small plenum fans and distributed into the dual-skin facade to absorb envelope solar and conductive heat gain loads.
In Winter, building relief air is collected through small plenum fans and distributed into the dual-skin facade to absorb envelope solar and conductive heat gain loads.
On the west end of the building, the cantilevered beam of the structure spans bio-pools overlooked by an outdoor observation gallery.
Rising from the island to meet the future, the net-zero Centre unfolds into a geometric sequence that invites exploration. Inspired by the accelerating trajectory of scientific discovery, the building expresses the anticipatory nature of critical inquiry – always reaching for the future.
Building Performance Community ImpactInnovation Portal
Preview the museum arrival experience through an animated design rendering. Both outside and in, the facility is conceived as one continuous exhibition space that immerses visitors into the dynamic world of discovery and innovation.
Innovation Advancing MissionStrategies for Net Zero
While the client requested a maximum annual energy use of 100-150 kWh/m2, our design leverages an interdependent bundle of energy efficiency strategies - including PV, wind turbines, occupant sensors, high-performance systems, and heat exchange pumps - to achieve net zero. Additional wind turbines and biomass electric generation could feasibly take the facility beyond zero energy.
Energy Decisions
