In 1679, in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Augustinian monks built a wooden church and a monastery to which they connected smaller buildings in the area. After the fire in 1742 a new brick building was built, with a four-story tower church construction. In 1768 the church was completed and named St. Virgin Maria ‘s Church while the monastery remained to be known as Augustian monastery. St. Virgin Maria ‘s Church is the only late baroque (rococo) style church in Vilnius. It has only one tower which is a very rare phenomenon in the late Baroque. Both buildings are known as the Augustian complex.

Currently, local communities are consulted and a number of workshops are being held in order to decide how to use the Augustian complex for the benefit of the area and its citizens. The key points of the strategy are outlined below:

1.The yard is open to different initiatives to dream, experiment, and build a diverse backyard community.

2.The church becomes the overcoming epicenter and the beating heart of the complex. Strategic themes for defining the vision are promoted and “cultivated”, larger architectural and socio-economic projects, prototypes are implemented, and complex identities are developed.

3.The Augustian complex in Vilnius is gaining an important position as a center enabling innovative, spiritual, socio-cultural and artistic activities. At the same time, the historical typology of the old town is restored and the Augustinian Garden is revived.

There are 4 workshops planned between April and August, 2021. Results will be presented to the public in December, 2021.