Well, what is a seaside resort town without a good concert hall? As a rule, it is he who becomes almost the main local attraction. The first wooden stage appeared in a public garden in the very center of Palanga, at the intersection of Vytauta and Basanavicius streets at the very beginning of the 20th century. It burned down rather quickly, and then was rebuilt several times, until in 1971 an open summer stage was built according to the project of Vytautas Gerulis. But by the beginning of the 2010s, it also ceased to meet the needs of an actively developing resort: a hall for only 1,100 spectators (if the need is twice as large), an open space, which could not be closed and achieve decent acoustics, according to the architects' assurances, the absence of a foyer and others important premises. The building is so dilapidated that it was completely impossible to reconstruct it, but the modern concert hall, while maintaining continuity, was erected exactly on the same place.
The area of the new building is slightly less than 5000 m2. The architects of the Uostamiescio projektas bureau from neighboring Klaipeda chose the simplest and most neutral form for their project - a white washer on a wide "leg" made of transparent glass. The total height of the building is also relatively small, only 14.6 m (the volume is quite deeply buried in the ground). Such deliberate modesty, partly dictated by strict restrictions, allows the volume to easily fit into a diverse, active environment with historical buildings - but not to get lost in it, but to demonstrate its significance.
Steel structures of the facades are sheathed with Knauf Aquapanel cement slabs, and a special self-cleaning coating will prevent white surfaces from losing their attractiveness. The washer-like shape is emphasized by transverse recesses with small windows at the end, thanks to which the building gains noticeable dynamics. In this way, the architects sought to recall the image of a music box. The windows are angled and let only soft indirect light into the 2,200-seat hall. In addition, they are part of the acoustic design of the hall, which allows for a wide variety of events. The round shape of the hall also provides a good view from almost all points.
The project provides for the construction of two smaller "washers" in the neighborhood, which will house a cultural center and a music school. The buildings are planned to be connected to the main volume by underground passages (some of them have already been laid) and, if necessary, to be used as additional rehearsal spaces, but work on their construction has not yet begun.
