On the right bank of the Neris river in Vilnius, the outline of the Quadrum business center, the largest project currently being implemented in Lithuania, is coming into focus. Construction of the tallest of the complex’s three buildings – a 17-story tower of more than 21,500 sq. m – and a three-level underground parking garage underneath it has been entrusted to Mitnija.
The impressive 70,000-square-meter Class A business complex will contain modern offices, multifunctional conference halls, restaurants, leisure and service zones, landscaped inner courtyards, and a 700-car underground garage. Schage Real Estate, a Norwegian development company, is investing LTL 260 million in the project. This project stands out due to not only its impressive size but also the innovative technologies and structural and engineering solutions used, the implementation of which requires extraordinary thoroughness, experience, and knowledge.
The high quality requested for this solution, was to be found in the products from Grupo Andalucia – Spain, due to their experiences of more than 40 years, and knowledge for architectural buildings, as they have many references in this field.
Construction solutions that are unique in Lithuania
The 17-story tower we are building rests on a concrete slab, for which almost 3,000 cubic meters of concrete was poured. Special technology was used in pouring the concrete for this structure and a lot of large-diameter reinforcement was used, while the total length of welding seams exceeded 1,000 meters. The structure of the building itself is complex as well. Part of it above the third floor hangs like a console and is supported by a 200-ton steel girder that is mounted to floors 3-5. Due to the massive weight of the structure and its height, installing it posed a sizable challenge to our construction workers, because such a construction solution was used in Lithuania for the first time. Also unique in Lithuania was the use of monolithic cavity-type overlays with plastic bubbles. They take up a certain volume inside the overlay, reducing the amount of concrete used and the weight of the structure. For reinforcement of the overlay plates, locally tensioned reinforcement (i.e., cables) is used. This technical solution, still new to Lithuania, also allows the quantity of reinforcement to be reduced compared to the standard method of plate reinforcement. The decorative (exposed) concrete surfaces of the building’s open reinforced concrete structures – overlay slabs, columns, and elevator shaft walls – require particular diligence, knowledge, experience, and skill. They are part of the interior, so particularly stringent requirements apply to their quality. Complex, particularly accurate formwork made according to the architect’s vision is used to pour their surfaces. True mastery and diligence were needed to reveal the beauty of the concrete surface. To date, Quadrum is the only business center in the Baltic States to be built according to the standards of the prestigious BREEAM environmental impact assessment and building rating system. This means respect for the environment and for man; ensuring occupational safety and suitable work conditions for construction workers; the efficient use of energy, water, land, and other materials; and respectful behavior towards neighboring residents, keeping them informed about the project and the course of the construction. These seem like simple things – showers, a cafeteria, and a clothes drier at the construction site – but in Lithuania they are still a rarity. The headquarters of one of the largest commercial banks in Lithuania, DNB, will be located in the Quadrum business center’s 17-story tallest tower. 
