
The City of Vilnius and Daniel Libeskind, AIA, founder and principal of Studio Daniel Libeskind, released design proposals for the Vilnius Beacon ski center, a complex consisting of two main buildings that encourage outdoor activities, sited at Liepkalnis Ski Hill—which is the highest point in the city—in southeast Lithuania. Located between the city's historical center, business district, and the airport, the project aims to transform the city into a regional tourist destination.
The site is inspired by the natural landscape of Lithuania, located at the European Plain, which includes a mix of high and lowlands, or “a study in the contrasting geometries,” according to the project statement.. In the middle of the project's proposed master plan is a circular plaza that contains an open arena and sports center. The site's two main buildings are situated at its perimeter and house ticketing and leisure areas. Between the constructions are winding canopies, whose layered orientation means to emulate the nearby snow slopes, with walkways and staircases protruding from their structural bases to join the site.
The project's main entrance is a three-story building formed by a winding exterior and a sloped roof, which acts to extend the natural landscape and provide panoramic views to the city below with its porches and wrap windows, capitalizing on its location.
Construction is scheduled to begin in 2015 and completed in 2016.

