"Friends & Frames" on Gedimino ave.

About

The pavilion-like building housing the modern eyewear boutique Friends & Frames is a unique, single-storey structure on Gediminas Avenue, representing an architectural typology rarely seen on this street. It has become a striking urban marker – a spatial and visual narrative reflecting the evolution of Vilnius’ cultural landscape.

The building was constructed on a former park fragment – an urban node where the street grid of old Vilnius intersects with the strict layout of the Tsarist city plan. The interior is consciously treated as an extension of the outdoors, evoking a landscaped environment. At its centre stands a yellow stalactite/stalagmite structure, symbolising the different historical layers of the site – from a “Mineral Water” kiosk to the “Metaxa” bar, and now a contemporary optician with its iconic Doberman sculpture.

Architects Ona Lozuraitytė-Išorė and Petras Išora-Lozuraitis transformed the space with minimal intervention, subtly preserving its historical spirit and layered past. They merged everyday functionality with an exhibition-like experience, allowing the interior to speak both of purpose and urban memory.

Materiality is intentionally revealed: yellow solid brick walls are only partially plastered, the ceilings are coated with metallic dust paint, and technical concrete is used for the flooring. The furniture is integrated using wood dust and fibreboard, playing with raw material qualities that are typically concealed. Sustainability is central to the project – priority is given to recyclable and long-lasting materials.

This architectural concept has received international recognition – the project was nominated for the 2024 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies van der Rohe Award.