The document summarizes the efforts of the Beepart organization to bring culture and activities to dormitory areas outside of Vilnius city center. It describes how the organization created an experimental building using shipping containers to serve as a community space for events like art exhibitions, seminars, and movie screenings. The goal was to address how larger parts of the city lacked cultural opportunities and to involve the local community. Over time the space has hosted various programs and partnerships to activate the area and address issues of lack of entertainment options and darkness.

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This is Vilnius city map which is very similar to other post Soviet cities with very strongly
expressed city center and …. very poor surrounding areas, we call them sleeping areas. You
can see one big green point and one small instead of question sign. This means that our
goal to bring culture and activities closer to community is already realizing step by step.

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All entertainment and events in Vilnius, just as in other post-soviet cities, are concentrated in
the centre, usually the old town. This leaves the bigger part of the city – the so called
“dormitory areas“ – in a complete cultural standstill.

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A lot of young families live in such areas and they don’t have where to go and what to see
nearby, except supermarkets. Do you think it’s so easy to pack all this team and to drive for
one hour of entertainment? That’s why many of us stay at their homes instead of having
such challenge.

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When the building was designed, we didn’t want to have such traditional style
house, because it is not inspiring for creation. We wanted to have something
more experimental, more attractive.

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One of our inspirations was Rainbow in Ukraine. People come here because it
is an attractive object. They like to spend their time there. That’s why we had
to put different space perception and innovative solutions also into our space.

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Went deeply into environment-friendly solutions. The aim was to collect the building
from modules completely independent from city infrastructure, for example - an
improved heating system, sewerage system and system of waste disposal. As a
result of this - we have our own water all year round, composting toilets and etc.

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There were made several design projects during the workshop of architects. Here is
one of them. The present (sea containers) project was chosen for its lowest cost.

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From very beginning we were trying to involve local community by informing them
what we are doing. The presentation of Beepart project to public was made on
February 2011, right on the field where there were full of snow, in the forest using
projectors, offering pancakes for people.

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On March 2011 two used containers from Klaipėda were brought and construction
works began. We have prefabricated container brought in to place.

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We have moved main space into second floor, because of that we win more
space downstairs. Another important moment is that it is temporary
building, which can be removed to another place without dismantling every
screw.

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Lots of experiments in the building were done - special tent tension system, led laps,
green roof. The walls were heated by straws, the roof has been seeded with grass.

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The scheme of Beepart concept.

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The led lamps shine at night and colors movement on house walls can be regulated. So
we are solving two problems, one is darkness in this place and also it works like eye
catcher.

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A view at daytime

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The building interior plan

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Space for various activities, like art gallery, seminars, conferences, cinema reviews,
other; Furniture is very flexible and simple.

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Stairs are automatically going up. A fireplace makes place cozy and warm, but at the
same time it is useful, because we are burning garbage which has been left after
workshops.

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Since 2010 we started to do urban artistic interventions in Pilaitė district with
different artists. We were interested to find out, if people are interested in art, which
appears in their neighbourhood. How long the installations can stay? We started to
domesticate this place.

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Dance performance.

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The first international light installation festival was held in autumn 2011, which counted
20 light installations, which were presented in the forest near the building.

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The building in unfinished constructions was illuminated.

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Shadow theatre

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Modern birds houses.

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Snots on trees

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Every time we have various exhibitions. Artists are coming to our place to show
their works. We believe that people who are coming for every day activities all the
time has to see some art. They are not afraid of art anymore. Art should be a usual
thing not only for professionals and only then we will see full galleries of people in
city center.

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Various competitions for kids, cleaning up the forest to make it become a real park are
happening here. Our goal was to create place, where people can do their activities,
and this became true.

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Christmas songs evenings, Halloween party, cinema – each Wednesday, 8 pm o’clock, threasure
finding are organized. We are partners with foreign institutes like: Danish, French, Goethe, Polish
institutes, so that we can legally show brand new movies, and it is for free.

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With the help of volunteers and private companies we created a district‘s sightseeing
map. You can download from web, print it and go for a walk for whole day!

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Since this autumn we are improving our web page - events schedule where we
update events, and our visitors can see it at once. This tool give us more flexibility
and what is important saves our energy and time.

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49. Thank You!
E-mail: pilaite@beepart.lt
www.beepart.lt
Facebook: BeePilaite