From Grey Blocks to Vibrant Communities: What Kind of Apartment Architecture Are We Creating Today?

For many years, functionality dominated apartment building architecture in Lithuania — often inherited from the era of standardized, typical construction. However, today the situation is fundamentally changing.

As an architect and founder of Postforma, I increasingly see that residents’ well-being is becoming the primary goal of architecture. It is no longer enough to comply with technical regulations or design the maximum number of square meters. The key question today is: how will a person feel in this space after 5, 10, or 30 years?

Privacy – The New Luxury

When designing apartment buildings today, we are solving what seems to be a contradictory task: how to balance community and personal space?

One example is the “Paparčio žiedas” project currently being developed in the Dainava district of Kaunas. The design process lasted eight months. During that time, we searched for solutions that would reduce direct wall contact between neighboring apartments, increase natural light, ensure private outdoor spaces (terraces, recessed balconies), and avoid the “corridor effect” in the urban structure.

A large portion of the apartments in this project do not share walls with neighbors — and this is becoming an increasingly important quality indicator today. Privacy, acoustic comfort, and light are elements that cannot be “added” later. They must be planned from the very beginning.

Architectural Form That Creates Emotion

The spatial structure of the “Paparčio žiedas” complex is circular. The buildings curve in a ring, forming a closed, safe inner courtyard.

The circular composition creates a clear identity. Recessed balconies help maintain visual privacy. The inner courtyard becomes the center of the community rather than a transit zone.

A bright yellow color is used on the façade — a deliberate choice. In the city, color is not just aesthetics. It affects emotion, mood, and even recognizability of a place. Architecture should not be grey if the community can be vibrant.

The Inner Courtyard – Not a Parking Lot, but a Community Space

One of the key principles is moving cars to the perimeter, leaving the inner courtyard for people.

The space includes children’s playgrounds, pathways and greenery, benches, a safe enclosed area, and video surveillance.

These spaces are not just “added value.” Practice shows that they help foster active and cohesive communities.

Today, when designing apartment buildings, we increasingly think not only about building density, the number of parking spaces, or regulatory compliance, but also about the quality of natural light, acoustic comfort, spatial proportions, and emotional connection to the place.

Architecture is no longer just a structure. It is a scenario for living.

And while grey blocks once dominated, today we are creating vibrant communities — with more privacy, more light, and more thoughtful design decisions.

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Tomas Kučinskas
Architect, Founder of Postforma