Vytautas Jurgis Dičius, collection code VAM-1.
V. J. Dičius was born in Vyžuona, Utena district on 14 April 1930. He is a famous Lithuanian architect, professor and public character. In 1955 he graduated from the Lithuanian Institute of Art. In 1956-1971 he worked as an architect at Urban Construction Design Institute of Kaunas branch. Those were the most fruitful years of his work. During this period, his stylistic touch inspired by such architectural luminaries as Le Corbusier, Mieso van der Rohe was purified: the modernism imbued with the spirit of functionalism. In less than a decade he developed a campus of Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (abbr. KPI, now – Kaunas Technical University): faculty buildings of KPI construction (included in the list of register of cultural values of the Republic of Lithuania, a unique code 33441), KPI radio technology (included in the list of register of cultural values of the Republic of Lithuania, a unique code 33540), Chemical technology (included in the list of register of cultural values of the Republic of Lithuania, a unique code 33542), student canteen – cafe “Colleagues”. According to the researcher V. Petrulis, this complex can be considered as “one of the most valuable and best preserved examples of Lithuanian modernism extant since the Soviet period. [1]
Also his designed chamber of commerce “Buitis” are none the less interesting, standing on the plot of complex configuration, for the architect had to use his head for some time) or shopping centre “Girstupis” created together with his colleague A. Lėckus with cultural and sports house of Artificial fibre factory standing close together nearby, also designed together with his colleague.
In parallel, V. Dičius and his colleagues worked on smaller objects, such as cafes interiors and furniture.
Since 1971 he became the lecturer of Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute (since 1991- Vilnius Gediminas Technical University), in 1990-1999, the dean of VISI Faculty of Architecture (first elected and not appointed), since 1993- a professor. [2] At that time, the architect designed objects of different scale, different style and different purpose than before, among them – the number of rest-houses, etc. Rest-house of LSSR Academy of Sciences in Palanga is also worth mentioning (with architect L. P. Ziberkas) distinguished by its playful geometrical volumes in the architecture of the resort. Like the café “Nendrė“ in Trakai created with L. P. Ziberkas: an example of sophisticated forms of the late modernism in Soviet Lithuania.
Social activity: in 1999-2005, a chairman of Lithuanian Union of Architects; in 2007-2010, a chairman of Lithuanian Chamber of Architects.
Works:
In 1958-1962, LSD “Žalgirio” Sports Palace, Kaunas (with architect A. Zeidotas)
In 1958-1961, Sanatorium-boarding school in Kulautuva (with architect A. Sprindis)
In 1961-1964, Reconstruction of café “Tulpė” (with architect A. Mikėnas)
In 1960-1964, KPI (now KTU), Faculty of Construction House
In 1962-1963, Competitive project on design of master plan for KPI campus (now Kaunas University of Technology) (master plan was created on the basis of this and other projects)
In 1962-1964, Interior of guesthouse at Sevan Lake, Sevan (Armenia) (with architect A. Mikėnas)
In 1962, Interior of factory “Kauno audiniai” (with architect A. Mikėnas)
In 1962-1964, Sculpture and stained glass gallery project after the reconstruction of the Cathedral, Kaunas (with architect A. Mikėnas)
In 1963-1964, Reconstruction of canteen “Kauno svetainė”, Kaunas (with architect A. Mikėnas)
In 1964-1967, Reconstruction of café “Orbita”, Kaunas (with architect A. Mikėnas)
In 1966-1971, Shopping centre “Girstupis”, Kaunas (with architect A. Lėckus)
In 1968-1975, Culture and sports hall of Artificial fibre factory, Kaunas (with architect A. Lėckus)
In 1963-1969, Chamber of Commerce “Buitis”, Kaunas
In 1963-1969, KPI (now KTU), house of Faculty of Radio Engineering, Kaunas
In 1965- 1970, KPI (now KTU), house of Faculty of Chemical Technology, Kaunas (with architect K. Ziberkas)
In 1966- 1970, Agro-chemical laboratory in Kaunas
In 1969-1973, KPI (now Kaunas University of Technology) student cafe – canteen “Colleagues” (co-author architect R. Kemežys)
In 1969- 1980, Sports hall in Alytus (with architect K. Kisielius)
In 1972, Furniture for VISI (now VGTU) Scientific council meeting room, Vilnius
In 1975, KPI (now KTU) rest-house in Palanga
In 1975-1976, VISI (now VGTU) work and rest camp base in Kirdeikiai
In 1974-1982, Rest-houses of LSSR Academy of Sciences in Palanga (with architect L.P. Ziberkas)
In 1980-1981, Workshop of artists’ cooperative “Alka” in Palanga
In 1978-1984, Rest-houses of Vilnius University in Palanga
In 1975-1984, Café “Nendrė” in Trakai (with architect L.P. Ziberkas)
In 1981 (reconstruced in 1990), Club and sports hall of Puffy yarn factory in Marijampolė
In 1982, Interior of VISI (now VGTU) conference room.
Competitions:
In 1984, VISI (now VGTU) Rector’s office and library, II prize (with architects A. Ambrasas, G. Čaikauskas, A. Trimonis)
In 1985, Administrative building of Vilnius housing factory, II prize (with architect R. Palekas)
In 1998, Tuskulėnų Memorial in Vilnius, II prize (with architects G. Čaikauskas, R. Palekas, J. Šnipas)
Awards:
In 1971, Prize of the USSR Council of Ministers (with a group of architects and engineers);
In 1980, Granted the honorary title of Honoured Lithuanian architect;
In 2000, Awarded the Knight of the Order of Architecture by the Lithuanian Union of Architects;
In 2006, Cross of the Knight of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke.
References:
Vaidas Petrulis. Vytautas Jurgis Dičius: Time stagnant in creation./ Archiforma, 2006(3). 36-43 p.
Algimantas Mačiulis. Vytautas Jurgis Dičius. Universal Lithuanian Encyclopaedia, V. IV (Chakasija-Diržių necropolis). – Vilnius: Science and Encyclopaedia Publishing Institute, 2003. 200 p.
vikipedija:http://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vytautas_Jurgis_Dičius
