FARMERS CIRCLE
Type: Multi-funcional complex
Status: Complete
Area: 40ha
Year: 2020
Location: Žirgyno str. 1, Radiškis, Ukmergė district, Lithuania
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Chief Architect: Gilma Teodora Gylytė
Team: Gilma Teodora Gylytė, Domantas Baltrūnas, Edgar Vladimirenko, Andrė Baldišiūtė, Sabina Grincevičiūtė, Algimantas Neniškis
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Photos: Aistė Rakauskaitė, Aleksas Jaunius, DO ARCHITECTS, FARMERS CIRCLE
ENG
Farmers Circle is an old farm revived in a 500-hectare hilly area in Ukmergė district, presenting farming as an event. Farmers Circle is initiated with the wish of feeding the world with better, healthier, and more tasty products from farm and nature.
In addition to the usual vegetable fields and grazing cattle, there is a conference center, restaurant, hotel, newly equipped nature trails and terraces with outdoor fireplaces. The main architectural and urban challenges were to find a harmonious relationship between rural nature, cultured landscape, old farm buildings, modern architecture and everyday farming.
The overall vision was to create a conscious farmstead which pays special attention to every process of plant cultivation and creates a sensory experience in farmstead itself for visitors. The former farming territory and barn buildings have been almost in ruins as the client acquired the land. Together with the client we developed a vision to reuse the old buildings and restore them in traditional Lithuanian farmstead and modern Nordic principles. The existing buildings have been restored by principle of saving and keeping the existing wooden building structures and brick facades. Also it was important to expose all the layers that have accumulated over a long period of time. The old farm building has been converted to pop-up restaurant which serves locally grown goods. The typical single farmstead has been supplemented with new buildings to create additional features in a way that emphasizes the typical farmstead and builds community spaces. A special attention was paid to the monumental outdoor pavilion and fireplaces. These shared spaces are dedicated to visitors and farming community itself: various events are organized during the summer. An amphitheater is formed in the bonfire from land itself. This area creates a bigger event place which is small scale and blends with surrounding landscape naturally. The Farmers circle community not only cultivates and grows plants and vegetables, but also educates the public, so all outdoor structures including modern greenhouses, plant beds were created like open public gardens. The typical old farmstead apple and fruit-tree orchard has been preserved as an extension of the outdoor restaurant. The garden creates a safe haven from city noise to every visitor.
New walking patterns have been created in the territory: part is dedicated to everyday farm life, and some are created as relaxing promenades with trees or forest trails for meditation. Through the tree-lined entrance from the main entrance is the Stone Mill (Grain Mill) building, the main kitchen where all the farm's goodies are stored and processed. From there begins a tour inviting you to take a look around this unusual farm. The idea was to set up an open farm where you can walk and explore, just like in the Old Town. Kids can see where everything is grown, eat vegetables or salads in glass greenhouses, and adults can watch the cooking process go on.
New walking patterns have been created in the territory: part is dedicated to everyday farm life, and some are created as relaxing promenades with trees or forest trails for meditation. Through the tree-lined entrance from the main entrance is the Stone Mill (Grain Mill) building, the main kitchen where all the farm's goodies are stored and processed. From there begins a tour inviting you to take a look around this unusual farm. The idea was to set up an open farm where you can walk and explore, just like in the Old Town. Kids can see where everything is grown, eat vegetables or salads in glass greenhouses, and adults can watch the cooking process go on.