5. Alytus St Benedict’s Gymnasium

About

Alytus St Benedict’s Gymnasium is one of the first schools built after the restoration of Lithuania’s independence. Originally intended as a primary school, the project was later adapted to meet changing needs. Today, the school accommodates around 800 students from grades 1 to 12. 

Architects Jūratė and Vygintas Merkevičiai conceived the school as a city, with the main corridor functioning like a street that connects shared facilities such as the chapel, swimming pool, canteen and sports hall. Red brick buildings with hipped roofs are arranged around the main building, resembling a collection of cosy houses occupied by the students. Each “house” has its own interior colour scheme: red, blue, green or yellow.

The main building is almost 200 meters long and curves around an avenue of trees. Taking advantage of the naturally rising terrain, the complex resembles a fortress from the outside, while its interior turns into bright, open and democratic spaces designed to encourage interaction and a sense of community. Seen from above, the building sparks the imagination: to some, it resembles a ship, to others a curved knife.

Several of the architectural ideas, such as transforming the vestibule and assembly hall into an open amphitheatre bringing the community together, were remarkably ahead of their time. Today, Alytus St Benedict’s Gymnasium stands as a significant example of educational architecture from the late 20th and early 21st centuries.