Vilnius Selects Winning Design for New Congress Centre

Vilnius has selected the winning design for its long-planned Congress Centre, marking a significant step forward in one of the city's most ambitious public development projects. Once completed, the venue will become Lithuania's first purpose-built congress centre, strengthening Vilnius' ability to host larger international congresses, conventions and high-level political meetings while creating a new civic landmark along the Neris river.

The winning proposal, titled "THREE", was created by Lithuanian architectural practice IMPLMNT Architects. Located between the Lithuanian Parliament and Geležinio Vilko Street, the approximately 31,500-square-metre venue will feature a 2,000-seat plenary hall, 17 flexible event spaces, and facilities capable of accommodating up to 4,500 delegates across multiple simultaneous events. The final results were confirmed following the completion of the public procurement process and verification of participants' qualifications.

The Vilnius Congress Centre is designed to meet the requirements of international association congresses, corporate conventions and government-level events that Vilnius has not previously been able to accommodate.

"The international competition enabled us to select an architectural vision that truly reflects Vilnius' ambitions," said Valdas Benkunskas, Mayor of Vilnius. "The winning proposal combines architectural quality with long-term value for the city. It will strengthen Vilnius' international profile, contribute to economic growth, and open a new section of the Neris riverfront for public use. We were delighted by the quality of the submissions and thank all participants for their outstanding work."

Vilnius will now begin negotiations with IMPLMNT Architects on the design contract for both the new venue and its surrounding public spaces.

“The competition attracted outstanding architectural teams from Lithuania and abroad, and the quality of the submissions exceeded our expectations,” said Laura Joffė, CEO of Vilnius Development Company. "We are looking forward to working with IMPLMNT Architects as the project moves into the design phase.”

The competition attracted 28 submissions, with 17 proposals meeting all procurement requirements and advancing to jury evaluation. Second place was awarded to "UNFOLD" by Studija Heima, while "FOREST FORUM VILNIUS" by KRS placed third.

The project will significantly strengthen Vilnius' position in the international meetings market, enabling the city to compete for larger international congresses, conventions and high-level political meetings.

“The new Congress Centre opens a new chapter for Vilnius. It will expand the range of international events we can host, bringing more delegates, knowledge exchange and global connections to the city,” said Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, CEO of Go Vilnius.

The winning proposal was selected by an international jury of architects and urban experts. Members included Danish architect and urbanist Helle Juul, co-founder of Juul Frost Arkitekter; Laura Kairienė, Chief City Architect of Vilnius; Lukas Rekevičius, founder of Aketuri Architektai; Gintautas Natkevičius, founder of G. Natkevičius ir partneriai; Edgaras Neniškis, partner at Arches and professor at VILNIUS TECH; and Dovilė Aleksandravičienė, CEO of Go Vilnius.

Beyond the building itself, the competition challenged architects to rethink a publicly accessible stretch of the Neris riverfront next to a planned pedestrian bridge. The winning proposal integrates the venue into the surrounding urban fabric while creating new public spaces that connect the Parliament district with the river and make the waterfront more accessible to residents, visitors and event delegates.

"Our ambition was to create a building that becomes a natural extension of the city," said Aurimas Syrusas, architect at IMPLMNT Architects. "The design responds carefully to its surroundings – the Parliament, the Neris embankment and the future pedestrian bridge. Its fragmented volumes step down towards both the river and Parliament, ensuring the new complex complements these important landmarks while creating an open and welcoming public space."

Among IMPLMNT Architects' notable projects are the Vilnius Indoor Athletics Arena, currently under development, and the award-winning Stasys Museum in Panevėžys.

The open international competition was launched in December 2025 with a total prize fund of €100,000. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of 2031.

Once operational, the new Congress Centre will enable Vilnius to attract larger international congresses, conventions and major political meetings while creating lasting economic, social and urban value for the city.