BMI Executive Institute, the educator of high-level managers, will move to a new location in Vilnius late next year – the Artery Business Centre designed by international architect Daniel Libeskind, which is currently rising on the right bank of the Neris River. Under the lease agreement signed on Monday, BMI Executive Institute is doubling the size of its premises to include 700 square metres and a terrace on the seventh floor of the new Artery tower.
Jurga Bendikaitė-Ursavas, the Director General of BMI Executive Institute, says the Artery building was chosen to give the institute’s large community of students, faculty, alumni and staff the opportunity to study and work in one of the most beautiful places in the Lithuanian capital. Its windows and terrace will offer a panoramic view of the city centre, the river and Gediminas Castle.
“In choosing a place, we had two key criteria – functionality and aesthetics. Our community gathers leaders who drive progress for the entire country and beyond, so we sought a space pulsating with progress and inspiration that would attract ambitious people. Bright minds have always valued beautiful surroundings, so the view through the windows was important, both for inspiration and for resting between tasks. The other aspect was the convenience of the location and the facilities, the possibility of multifunctional solutions and the freedom to modify space to adapt to changing needs,” she notes.
The head of the institute sees the new premises creating more opportunities for current and future members of the community to expand and deepen their knowledge by taking part in events and open lectures with professors from prestigious business schools and universities around the world.
At the Artery Business Centre, BMI Executive Institute will have spacious administrative and lounge areas and a modern lecture theatre with learning spaces. The BMI Alumni Executive Club, which unites the institute’s alumni, will also be based at the Artery. Once the premises are inaugurated, lectures for Vilnius EMBA programme participants will be held here, members of Brussels EMBA cohorts will come for specific courses, and short programmes and trainings for companies will take place. Rooms will also be equipped and available for high-quality conferences and online events.
BMI’s Vilnius staff will work at the office, which will have several workspaces for colleagues visiting from Brussels too. The Director General notes talks are underway with interior architecture firms to decide whom to entrust with creating an interior concept to reflect the institute’s innovative international identity.
The 20-storey business centre on Konstitucijos Avenue designed by Daniel Libeskind will reach its planned height in January 2023, with construction due to be completed in the autumn of next year. The Artery project, involving investments of more than EUR 70 million, is being carried out by the Lords LB Special Fund I Subfund A which is managed by Lords LB Asset Management.
“We welcome BMI Executive Institute to the newly forming Artery community. The spaces they have selected are some of the most attractive in the project. That choice enables them to not just plan effective work and study areas, but also create a high-quality leisure area: BMI’s community will enjoy a private rooftop terrace overlooking Gediminas Castle. We believe this educational institution’s needs will also be well met by the leisure and meeting area open to the city on the Artery’s ground floor, and in the atrium with its cosy cafés and shops,” says Lords LB Asset Management Fund Manager Marius Žemaitis, the business centre’s developer.
Classed as A+ for energy efficiency, the business centre will stand out for its sustainability. Global BREEAM Excellent New Construction certification will be sought for the building, and the engineering solutions at the property will enable efficient use of energy. Each of the 20 floors will be equipped with innovative heating, ventilation, humidification and air-conditioning systems to maintain a microclimate conducive to productive work. The architectural solutions will provide 360-degree views of the city and ensure an abundance of natural sunlight.
Apart from its central location, the business centre will also gain dynamism from an integrated underground crossing of Konstitucijos Avenue linking Europa Square with the White Bridge. To help tenants and guests of the Artery commute more sustainably, the complex will have a bicycle storage facility and one of Vilnius’s largest arrays of charging points for electric vehicles and scooters.
