8. Water Park AQUA / fmr. Physiotherapy Health Resort

About

The physiotherapy health resort built in the central area of Druskininkai, reminiscent of the architectural expression of the buildings in the style of the architect Antonio Gaudí and incorporating bold technological solutions, has been given a second lease of life after being reconstructed into a water amusement park. The health resort complex was built by architects Aušra and Romualdas Šilinskas between 1975 and 1981 and awarded the State Prize. It consisted of three symmetrical horseshoe-shaped blocks resembling a three-leaved clover, with a shared lobby forming the central axis of the building, a swimming pool, and a water tower, which has become the symbol of the city. In the hands of the architects, the seemingly bulky concrete became a light, openwork, pliable construction material, and its use in the decor of the modern facades also revealed the sculptural nature of concrete, which echoed in the building’s interior. After the reconstruction, not only did the building retain many of the artistic ideas of the Šilinskas tandem, but it also acquired a new function, once again becoming a centre of attraction for the visitors of Druskininkai.