The Museum of confectionery factory “Rūta”

About object:

Lithuania has a number of historically significant objects. Architecture of each period is distinguished by its authentic aesthetic concept, therefore, reconstruction or conversion of such buildings presents a number of tasks: not only to preserve the original proportion of volumes, reproduce, disclose or highlight various elements, but also to adapt the existing buildings to society’s present-day needs.

In this regard, of interest is reconstruction of the old industrial building of confectionery factory “Rūta” to an object of educational and cultural destination – a Chocolate Museum. Since the old building is a cultural heritage site, it has been necessary both to preserve the volume proportions and restore the structure of the existing building. After the conversion, next to the old brick volume a new extension of modern architecture has grown, which, yet, owing to the proportions of its volume and calm colouring, not overshadows the historical structure – it even highlights the old building. The joint composition of the historical building and its new extension has blended harmoniously into the urban context of central historical part of Šiauliai and complemented it.

I. Garnytė- Sapranavičienė