Kaunas Clinics Complex
(Survived
, k.k.v.r.
16003
)
<p style="text-align: justify;">Plans to open a big medical institution in Kaunas can be found as early as 1919, when “the Cabinet of Ministers had decided to immediately prepare a plan for the hospital”. However the city had to survive without a sufficient hospital for a long time (the only more modern clinic was the Eye-Ear Clinic in Vytautas pr., built in 1929 by the architect V. Landsbergis-Žemkalnis). It was decided to build the Clinics in 1936. The public tender for the architectural project for Clinics received 5 applicants, from which 2 were rejected. French architect Urbain Cassan won the tender (with an assistant Ellie Ouchanoff), who already had experience in designing hospitals. Karolis Reison finised second, while F. Bielinskis ended third.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The hospital complex built in 1937-1939 contains five buildings: the central housing, administration and stomatology building (later transformed in to polyclinic), housings for infection related diseases clinic, nerves and psychological diseases clinic and building for pathological anatomy (architect F. Bielinskis), also tunnels and few outbuilding facilities. It was by far the biggest object for medical purposes in Lithuania. In those days media it was praised that the hospital would be the biggest and the most modern not only in Lithuania but also in the whole Baltics region, while for the construction “a train filled with pebbles would length 42 km” was used. The Clinics belonged to Vytautas Magnus University’s Faculty of Medicine, thus the object was applied for learning – auditoriums, dummy rooms (in the project order called as museums), library rooms, nurse dormitories, etc. During the Soviet times and already in independent Lithuania the complex was significantly expanded.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Medicine institutions used in European context, as the infamous Paim sanatory in Finland, had become a symbol of functionalism. Simple rectangular lines, black and white colors’ esthetics were related to sterility and hygiene. We would not find that in Kaunas. The composition of volume (symmetry, rhizolithes, cornice pull), decoration materials (the facades were decorated with granitic plaster) – all this can be related to modernized historicism rather than modernism. However it is possible to talk about object’s modernity from its engineering equipment. Good example – exceptionally advanced stomatology hall with double floors to connect the engineering networks to stomatology chairs. The 1km long complex of tunnels can also be called modern, which also was related to anti-air and anti-chemical security functions.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Vaidas Petrulis</em></p>
Adresas: Kauno m. sav., Kauno m., Eivenių g. 2
Architektūros tipas: Professional
Architektai: Urbain Cassan, Elie Ouchanoff, Feliksas Bielinskis
Metai: 1937
Laikotarpis: Interwar
Architektūros šakos: Architecture, Complex object, Health service, Hospital, Clinic
Medžiagos: Masonry (brick), Ferroconcrete
Nuotraukos: 29
Susiję objektai
Antanas Gravrogkas House in Kaunas
Antanas Gravrogkas House in Kaunas
1930 - 1932
Primary School in Šančiai
Primary School in Šančiai
1935
Officers club Ramovė
Officers club Ramovė
1931 - 1937
Higher Technical School (now Kaunas Technical College)
Higher Technical School (now Kaunas Technical College)
1936 - 1938
Old People’s Home
Old People’s Home
1937 - 1938
Antanas Smetona gymnasium in Ukmergė
Antanas Smetona gymnasium in Ukmergė
1937 - 1938
Faculty of Medicine at Vytautas Magnus University
Faculty of Medicine at Vytautas Magnus University
1931 - 1933
State Insurance Company
State Insurance Company
1932
Apartment House for Workers and Civil Servants
Apartment House for Workers and Civil Servants
1936 - 1941
The Palace of the Bank of Lithuania in Panevėžys
The Palace of the Bank of Lithuania in Panevėžys
1937 - 1938
Temporary M. K. Čiurlionis Art Gallery
Temporary M. K. Čiurlionis Art Gallery
1924 - 1925
Mansion “Eglutė”
Mansion “Eglutė”
1929
Hospital in Šakiai
Hospital in Šakiai
1933 - 1937
Gymnasium in Kėdainiai
Gymnasium in Kėdainiai
1935 - 1944
Vladas Jurgutis school in Palanga
Vladas Jurgutis school in Palanga
1938 - 1939
Sanatorium “Tulpė” of Kaišiadorys Diocese Priests
Sanatorium “Tulpė” of Kaišiadorys Diocese Priests
1937
House in Kaunas, Vytautas av. 52
House in Kaunas, Vytautas av. 52
1929
Villa of Teachers union in Zarasai
Villa of Teachers union in Zarasai
1935 - 1936
State stadium in Kaunas
State stadium in Kaunas
1935 - 1936
Railway station in Plungė
Railway station in Plungė
1931 - 1932
House built by Uršulė and Zigmas Starkai
House built by Uršulė and Zigmas Starkai
1933 - 1937
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Plans to open a big medical institution in Kaunas can be found as early as 1919, when “the Cabinet of Ministers had decided to immediately prepare a plan for the hospital”. However the city had to survive without a sufficient hospital for a long time (the only more modern clinic was the Eye-Ear Clinic in Vytautas pr., built in 1929 by the architect V. Landsbergis-Žemkalnis). It was decided to build the Clinics in 1936. The public tender for the architectural project for Clinics received 5 applicants, from which 2 were rejected. French architect Urbain Cassan won the tender (with an assistant Ellie Ouchanoff), who already had experience in designing hospitals. Karolis Reison finised second, while F. Bielinskis ended third.


The hospital complex built in 1937-1939 contains five buildings: the central housing, administration and stomatology building (later transformed in to polyclinic), housings for infection related diseases clinic, nerves and psychological diseases clinic and building for pathological anatomy (architect F. Bielinskis), also tunnels and few outbuilding facilities. It was by far the biggest object for medical purposes in Lithuania. In those days media it was praised that the hospital would be the biggest and the most modern not only in Lithuania but also in the whole Baltics region, while for the construction “a train filled with pebbles would length 42 km” was used. The Clinics belonged to Vytautas Magnus University’s Faculty of Medicine, thus the object was applied for learning – auditoriums, dummy rooms (in the project order called as museums), library rooms, nurse dormitories, etc. During the Soviet times and already in independent Lithuania the complex was significantly expanded.


Medicine institutions used in European context, as the infamous Paim sanatory in Finland, had become a symbol of functionalism. Simple rectangular lines, black and white colors’ esthetics were related to sterility and hygiene. We would not find that in Kaunas. The composition of volume (symmetry, rhizolithes, cornice pull), decoration materials (the facades were decorated with granitic plaster) – all this can be related to modernized historicism rather than modernism. However it is possible to talk about object’s modernity from its engineering equipment. Good example – exceptionally advanced stomatology hall with double floors to connect the engineering networks to stomatology chairs. The 1km long complex of tunnels can also be called modern, which also was related to anti-air and anti-chemical security functions.


Vaidas Petrulis