Vilnius has launched an open international architectural competition to select the design concept for the future Vilnius Congress Centre, a flagship venue aimed at transforming the city’s competitiveness in the global meetings and events market. The winning concept will form the basis for a next-generation congress centre planned for completion at the end of 2031 on A. Goštauto street, next to the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania.
Currently, Lithuania lacks a purpose-built venue capable of hosting 2,000+ delegates under one roof, which limit its ability to attract major association congresses and high-value business events. The project is designated as strategically important for strengthening Lithuania’s capacity to host large-scale international congresses, governmental meetings and high-profile events.
Chief Architect of Vilnius Laura Kairienė underscores the importance of ambitious design, sustainability and sensitivity to the historic and urban context of the site. The brief outlines the ambition to create a world-class, future-ready congress centre with intuitive visitor flows, a strong architectural identity, high levels of accessibility and a meaningful relationship with the nearby A. Sakalauskas memorial. The concept also includes a high-quality, publicly accessible riverside space aligned with broader Neris riverbank development plans.
The planned 31,500 m² congress centre will include 17 multifunctional conference halls, featuring a plenary hall for up to 2,000 delegates and a total capacity of around 4,500 participants across all spaces, along with meeting rooms, exhibition and dining areas, and underground parking.
A dedicated jury will evaluate submissions against qualitative and procurement criteria. Members include Laura Kairienė, Chief Architect of Vilnius, Helle Juul, Juul Frost Architects (Denmark), Mads Birgens, COBE (Denmark), Lithuanian architects Lukas Rekevičius and Gintautas Natkevičius, Vita Žilinskaitė, Head of the Go Vilnius Convention Bureau, and Evalda Šiškauskienė, President of the Lithuanian Hotels and Restaurants Association (observer). Experts from the Barcelona Convention Centre will also participate in the evaluation process.
The winner will be announced in May 2026, with monetary awards distributed to the top three proposals (a total prize fund of 100,000 EUR). A contract with the winning team is expected in June 2026. Design work is projected to take over two years. Construction could begin in 2029, with the new Vilnius Congress Centre opening in early 2032.
