| Abstract [eng] |
A hotel for students and lecturers is being designed in the 15th quarter of Kaunas Old Town on an empty plot. Development on this plot existed until the mid-20th century. The aim of this project is to design a modern type of hotel for students and lecturers on the planned site. The analytical paper analyzed various types of hotels and sought conclusions about what kind of hotel could meet the needs of students and lecturers, considering its function and compliance. The conclusions focus on the design of a modern co-living hotel for students and lecturers in the heart of Kaunas Old Town. The research also formulates five hypotheses based on a hypothetical model and identifies key directions to be explored in the empirical research stage. These directions include functional aspects of the building, needs in specific location, architectural design aspects, and social aspects. The following empirical research in this paper focuses on analyzing the factors contributing to the popularity and efficiency of modern hotels in Lithuania, particularly in Kaunas’ Old Town. The research aims to understand how a modern building can functionally and visually reflect the current era while preserving and enhancing the historical cultural heritage. The research employed a combination of empirical research, qualitative and quantitative analyses, statistical data analysis, and GIS location analysis to identify key factors influencing the popularity and efficiency of modern hotels. Each method complemented the others, providing a more focused and relevant empirical research process. All hypotheses were confirmed, and useful information was gathered, from all analyses, a conceptual model is created for the next experimental project step. The last stage involved a comprehensive site analysis. The 15th block is part of Kaunas Old Town's national heritage and contains several valuable assets. The analysis also included transportation, pedestrian and cycling paths, green areas, and flood risk within the overall context of the Old Town, diving deeper into block analysis and eventually touching on the evaluation of cultural heritage objects. Following the analyses, two experimental projects were developed to test architectural solutions for a hotel based on the findings from the analytical and empirical research phases. These projects highlighted different aspects of the conceptual model: one focusing on integrating open and inclusive city functional zones and the other on revitalizing a deteriorating cultural heritage site. The second project was selected as the most optimal and suitable for further development. The project combines elements of old and new architecture to create a closed-type hotel with 50 apartments. The design focuses on user comfort, sustainability, and contextual harmony, incorporating features like a pitched roof, green solutions, and wooden structures. The historical building is integrated through a glass corridor that maximally respects and preserves the history of its era. The study emphasizes the interaction between theory and practice, exploring heritage preservation, as well as social and functional aspects of co-living hotels. It highlights the long- term architectural value, sustainable development, and the potential for further scientific analysis in an international context. |
