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Copyright of Studies of Lithuania's History is the property of Lietuvos Istorijos Studijos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Science: Future of Lithuania / Mokslas: Lietuvos Ateitis is the property of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although the evolution of high-rise buildings counts the second centenary, there is no overall criterion used to characterize them. Different are the reasons of their origin and evolution (in view of urbanism, heritage preservation, etc.) in various countries. As a result of analising building code attitudes in some countries and literature sources, in this paper we try to propose a criterion of defining high-rise buildings. The paper also analyses the reasons of their uprise in different continents and evolution peculiarities as well as differences in architectural-planning solutions of these buildings in different world cities and their influence on urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes the Renaissance phenomenon and name,its peculiarities and connection with innovations in different areas of life of the Lithuanian society and with historic personalities. Preconditions for the phenomenon s existence occurred in 1518-1655. Circumstances hindering cognoscibility of the phenomenon are analysed. The construction and decoration technique of the Renaissance are characterized. The method of material selection for this paper is described. The discovered cases of Renaissance construction and reconstruction in Vilnius are briefly reviewed. It is found that Renaissance construction determined the urban framework of Vilnius historic part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of democratic society development principles, the origin of the effect of different social groups on the territory development process, its historic sources, professional and emotional relationship with aesthetic city image formation, urban process development are discussed in the paper. Economic, social, political and other informal effect (IfE) consequences in urban development are analysed. Internal social relationship of modes of living in urbanized territories, effects of development planning on the above-mentioned processes are revealed. The paper is based on the author's practical experience, observations and analysis of archives. Statistical data used, answers received through interviews enabled us to draw objective conclusions about the influence of non-governmental public organisations (NGO) on urban development processes in Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical sprawl of a town is one of the main factors having an influence on peri-urban functional development and economic expansion. After Lithuania became a member of the EU, it is predicted that the biggest towns and especially the capital of Vilnius will undergo considerable changes in its peri-urban structure. The aim of this paper is to discus the evaluation criteria and facts of the interface between urban factors - urban development and open landscape - natural landscape, agricultural landscape, green recreational areas in peri-urban landscape. Foreign practical and theoretical works are the base of the study and discussion. The paper presents the main definitions concerning the theme. On the basis of an ecosystematic approach the evaluation aspects are classified into the following groups: territorial, morphological, contextual-visual, aesthetical, sociocultural, social and ecological groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with and emphasizes the problem of changing the identity of Vilnius as a unique place in the theoretical discourse of spatial morphology. Within the globalized context of contemporary urban development, the issue of Vilnius centre formation is revealed and identified as contradictory in the aspect of space morphology. The author analyses how newly-formed spatial structures influence the visual-mental perception of the city and spatial morphology. The present condition of Vilnius centre development is defined in the paper as that influencing the local identity crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of developing and protecting visual identity is of great significance for the Lithuanian towns that formed their most remarkable features already in the 16th-18th centuries. Through the soviet period the main urban development was directed to freestanding areas in the periphery, therefore, only those historic core parts of cities were protected as heritage that had juridical legitimization for such a protection. Meanwhile, lots of smaller towns were strongly damaged by typical construction, reconstruction in alien scale and strict functional disintegration. After returning to market economy in 1990, the cities of Lithuania are faced with threats of another character. The central parts of bigger cities are under intensive commercialization and transformations of land use and construction type. These processes should be evaluated as a natural stage of renewal in the most valuable parts of cities that were forgotten during the soviet period. Yet, on the other hand, the process itself explicitly shows gaps in the management of this change. The Law of Territory Planning along with the rules of master and detailed planning seems to be dedicated only to the description of procedures, practically omitting the composition of urban structures as well as mailers of the image, specific requirements for planning in the central districts of big cities. A breakthrough in the subject appeared when regulations for high-rise construction were implemented in 2004. The regulations applied the criteria of visual identity, urban composition and the concept of artistry of a structure to urban planning. The aim of the paper is to describe in a broader way this document that has a tremendous importance for urban development by validating special planning and incorporating it into master plan programs, selling guidelines for preparing master plans, introducing concepts that should be used, etc. The paper states: 1. Planned development of the visual identity of the city and its correspondence to cultural and natural valuables of the area is a well known issue, yet only now it becomes an object of special planning and a compulsory part of a master plan. This is a new level in search for solution when compared with the previous ideas of various authors that reasoned localization and composition of objects in a city. 2. Conceptual strategy of forming visual identity should be based on the development models of the compositional structure of a city. Construction of such models opens new possibilities for the development of a visual city image and adds more creative features to urban planning. 3. Preparation of rules for special plans on the arrangement of high-rise buildings introduce new concepts and procedures for planning in Lithuania. These concepts and procedures are vital for a harmonious development of natural and urban morpho-structure, protection of visual features of individual cities. This is a path for quality development that renders possibilities to keep cultural values in cities under globalization conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the main problematic aspects of the development of the Vilnius City Police as a significant factor influencing the perspective of self-government functioning. It is explained how the organizational principles of the city police of the Russian Empire were started to be applied in the city of Vilnius. It is claimed that the police, having broad and clearly undefined competencies, limited the self-government’s opportunities for independent activity and created favorable conditions for the management institutions of the Vilnius Governorate to ensure comprehensive control of the activities of the city’s self-government institution, the magistrate, in a short period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithuania is not the only country where public contribution to urban planning and urban design processes is highly procedural and formalistic. Unidirectional and inflexible cooperation between participants of urban planning activities is common in various countries. Cross-purposes and conflict situations once boosted emergence of innovative and effective methods for decision making in urban planning processes in developed countries. Now it's time to learn from these examples and creatively adopt them for purposes of long-term optimization of our national urban planning system. Paper describes some marginal activities in urban planning and design processes and disputes a growing impact of public participation in development of cities and urban regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses territory planning and land reform during the period of the independence of Lithuania since 1990. With the beginning of unplanned land restitution private land parcels were formed chaotically. These parcels were not adapted to any development prospects except farming. So proper planning of these parcels meant a new period of territory planning. An unproper legal system regulating private and state interests in territory planning resulted in such negative processes as fragmentation of farming lands, urban sprawl, unjustified expansion of urban lands. According to this situation, land reallocation principles are suggested that can help to combine private and state interests in the territory planning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The word "public" has two meanings in the Lithuanian language. It means "useful for society" and "overt" ("nonsecret"). Double- edged meaning of the category is not acceptable in the sphere of practical urban development, where decisions mean the distribution of goods among individuals as well as the distribution of goods among individuals and overall. In general it is not clear whether the development of the city should be only overt or whether it has also something to do with the interest of society, with the interest of the entire population of the city. The language peculiarities require a special approach of the legal system to the term. The Lithuanian legal system makes not very much in this direction, may be rather on the contrary it makes the term "public interest" even more misty. The Lithuanian Constitution mentions societal interest (requires to support useful for society economic activity), however, neither the Constitution nor the Law on Territory Planning describe what the category "society use" (societal interest) means. The Law does not see the difference a person and the entirety of city population. It says that the term "public" ("society") means one as well as more natural or legal persons. This situation has many sequences: the main question of the social system of the state is not clear; the basis of the mission of urban planning is not clear too; the principle of distribution of goods in urban development is not declared; the question of a legal goods distribution can hardly even be raised. The idea of a more precise legal definition of the term "public interest" is raised in the paper. The author thinks that the formula "public goods are goods that cannot be produced by an individual" can be a good basis for elaborating a legal definition of the category "public interest". It allows to divide clearly and logically overall and individual goods. It allows to see what concrete development proposals are useful for. It allows to show the logical place of urban planning in general: public interest in urban development should be the production of goods that cannot be produced by separate citizens; this production should also be accepted as the mission of urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of urban structures and systematic evaluation remain one of the most important problems causing reduction of planning efficiency. The main negative factors result from undeveloped and nonsystematic planning system. Formation of structures doesn't gain access to the circle of the greatest interests, comparing with land owners' and developers' interests to increase the variety and value of land use. Procedural participation of sectorial institutions assumes monopolistic and nonnegotiable character in the present practice, and political judgement is the only evaluation form existing in planning system and it doesn't guarantee objectiveness. Land use purposes, types and subtypes don't correlate with urban planning objectives, physical and functional variety of objects. Links between formation of urban structures and principles of land use classification, informational welfare, structure evaluation principles, development intentions as well as correlation of their significance alternation with evolution of communication and informational technologies are analysed in this paper. Suggestions for solving problems in urban structure formation are set forward: to liberalize and transfer comprehensive reasoning of land use types, forms and regulation to the planner's competence, considering that the forms, role and significance of urban structures are changing, and proceed to a qualitatively new systematic evaluation, based on city e-models and identification and monetarization of external effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the changing character of nation / state power and power relationships between state, regions and cities under the conditions of rapid grobalization and postfordist capitalism. European states, regions and cities sustain not only the pressure of globalizational factors and challenges, but they are the targets of Euro- integrational policy, especcially that of Euro- regionalization and urbanization. A part of state power is transmitted up to a supranational level and some part - down to regional and local levels, thus the authorities of a subnational level are empowered to act on their own account for good competitive positions in domestic and global markets. Some peculiarities of Lithuania' s transition to a capitalist system are highlighted and landmarks of urbanization are concidered. Attention is paid to Vilnius urban development from the point of view of European regional and urban development policy trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declarations on sustainable urban development enforce analysis of the potential and resources of separate Lithuanian towns supplemented with significant improvements of recreational environment quality. People are under the influence of cultural and artistic values in an urban environment. Interaction problems between human beings and environment concern architects, psychologists, sociologists, doctors, artists. Their influence significantly increases in recreational environment. Recently in various Lithuanian towns and cities the quality of recreational environment has not only improved but, unfortunately, it has lost its important qualitative components. A piece of art in post-soviet urban space and in recreational environment is accepted ambiguously. Destruction of environmental values enforces search for planning or organizational means of spaces to reduce negative reaction. In this aspect experience in the West European culture of towns and cities is very important. In this work the author analyses the experience of some European cities in integrating artistic and cultural components into recreational spaces. Concrete suggestions for improving formation of recreational environment are given. The experience analysis of European cities allows to state that the Lithuanian urban recreational environment can be used much more effectively by using artistic means. The paper presents examples of recreational environment formation and suggestions on improving, evaluation and artistic value integration into environment. They could be very useful in planning urban recreational environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of former manors in urban structure is discussed in the paper. Factors determining the influence of manors on surrounding areas are described. Types of manor site location in an urban area are defined. The influence of each type on the development and peculiarities of the morphological urban structure is analysed. Typical historic and contemporary examples of manors' integration into urban environment are described. A destructive influence of urbanization on the structures of agricultural environment is pointed out. It is very important that these agricultural structures can enrich urban environment with water bodies, greenery, architectural heritage, etc. The final aim of the work is to establish the importance of manor sites for both a qualitative urban development and the identity of urban landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most Lithuanian towns developed spontaneously without any special authors' urban projects. Urban solutions in Vilnius were mainly of a practical rather than aesthetical character. After the World War II architects and urbanists whose work substantially changed historically formed towns, became more active. The conception of monument protection (heritage) in Lithuania varied gradually along with lagging behind the tendencies that dominated in Europe; therefore, the results of authors' works are conspicuous in Vilnius city. The most conspicuous realized conception is an idea of "architectural hills". Presently this realized conception is strongly criticized. Alongside new regulations that protect the Old Town are underdevelopment. These regulations often do not correspond to the development of the city which is unavoidable considering the status of Vilnius city (the capital) and the size of administrated territory. Contradictory opinions supporting urban development and heritage as well as ways of solving the problems are presented in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inevitability of combining the potential of the two greatest Lithuanian cities of Vilnius and Kaunas as the main „vertebra“ of the country's demographic and urban backbone was declared in the Master Plan of Lithuanian Territory Development adopted by the Seimas (Parliament) in the autumn of 2001. This qualitatively new approach on urban development is based on the teoretical and practical experience of modem world' s metropolitan areas. A survey of numerous statistic data, concerning existing situation in urban, life quality, economic and intellectual development of municipalities belonging to the territory of the above dipolis, is presented in the paper. Some of them are compared with the official data of the European Union. The author's emphasis is put on the inequalities of comprehensive development in various parts of this new combined urban unit. Inclusion of adjacent municipalities into the dipolis is one of the main preconditions of not only equalizing their situation but also improving in this way the development of the entire country, especially of its eastern part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An idea of the dipolis of Vilnius and Kaunas formation is under discussion in the paper with the aim to establish both a metropolitan and recognized centre on an international scale. The first step is completed, i e a strategic plan of the dipolis is prepared following the initiative of both cities' municipalities. This plan is contradictory and controversial. The objective is declared for the first time in order to form a system of factors which could turn the existing polycentric network of the Lithuanian cities to another direction, i e to the concentration of social, economic and demographical potentials. It is not acceptable because it will expand the existing gap of Vilnius and Kaunas from the periphery and reduce the viability of the whole Lithuanian urban system. There is no basis for a bipolar urban structure formation. The potential development in the case of big cities and their non-formal regions do not overlap, the internal links are weak, and there are no indications of linear urban network formation. The progress of the whole Lithuanian urban system due to a low density of population as well as growing emigration should not be interdependent with an artificial development of both the metropolitan and regional physical structures. The idea of the dipolis of Vilnius and Kaunas formation should be assessed as a symbol of the inner cities' co-operation which is under particular shortage. Development of high-speed communication and information technologies as well as integration processes should serve for the above mentioned purpose by evaluating subjects of non-reducing competition of the cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyses the development of the old city of Klaipėda in the 16th-18th centuries. This part of Klaipėda was unique in the Baltic region because of a regular street network the beginnings of which could be dated by the 16th century. Archeological and dendrochronological data, accumulated through some decades, allows to cast a new light on the urbanization issues and evaluate the dynamics of the formation of the city's cultural layers. Dendrochronological data allows to presume that oak-tree buildings started in the 16th century, and brick constructions could be dated by the end of the 17th century and the beginning of the 18th century. This qualitative construction change can be traced in all cultural layers of the old city of Klaipėda; in addition, it creates favourable conditions to date the archeological data and to investigate the process of urbanization. Researches, undertaken till the end of the 20th century, show that this part of Klaipėda attracted interest and attention of many archeologists, historians, and architects. A disputable issue is the original place of the old city; there are some presumptions that at the beginning of the 16th century it could have been transferred because of the modernization of the castle's defence system. Nevertheless, archeological data allows to claim that the city started in the 16th century; according to V. Žulkus, it started with the present day Tiltų and Turgaus streets. Iconographic, historical and archeological material as well as dendrochronological data allow to make a new hypothesis that Klaipėda's development was not spontaneous, as it demonstrates certain features typical of the Renaissance city planning. A regular Street network of the old city contrasts strikingly with Fridrich outskirts where a street network is in a way chaotic and reflects the features of the medieval city planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]