A gleaming aluminium disc has transformed the skyline of Lithuania’s second-largest city with the official opening of the Science Island Museum, a 15,000-square-metre science and cultural centre designed by SMAR Architecture Studio. Set beside the Nemunas River, the museum doubles as a public stage and civic beacon—positioning Kaunas as a new focal point for innovation and architectural expression.
The futuristic structure crowns a seven-year-long journey that began when SMAR, an Australian-Spanish practice, won an international design competition organised by Malcolm Reading Consultants—the most competitive architectural contest in Lithuania’s history, drawing 144 entries from 44 countries.
A New Architectural Icon for Kaunas
Designed to echo the trajectory of the sun and symbolise the timeless pursuit of knowledge, the museum’s circular rooftop disc spans 25 metres in diameter and is clad in recycled aluminium. At night, it glows softly across the Kaunas skyline, reflecting not only its surroundings but also the city’s evolving identity as a cultural and scientific hub.
“The disc was envisioned as a discreet but radiant landmark,” explained Belen Perez de Juan, co-founder of SMAR. “A new sun for Kaunas—reflecting that the sun never sets on science.”
The disc’s engineering posed a unique challenge: weighing 250 tonnes and supported at only two points, the structure required an advanced design strategy by Lithuanian firm UAB Planas to ensure both stability and elegance. The aluminium panels were treated with a blur technique, providing a soft, impressionistic reflection of the city’s historic skyline and the surrounding landscape.
Blending Innovation with Public Utility
Beneath the roof’s disc lies a dynamic facility that houses 140 permanent exhibits, a temporary gallery, a planetarium, cultural zones, laboratories, and a café. The museum’s form not only integrates into the sloping parkland but also opens up as a public space: the roof descends to meet the ground, creating walkable surfaces for concerts, skateboarding, and informal seating.
A circular rooftop entrance tilts open like a lens, guiding visitors directly into the museum’s core, while all back-of-house areas, including laboratories and administrative offices, enjoy natural light and views of the park—a rare feature in traditional museum design.
“Visitors encounter a phenomenological experience,” said Fernando Jerez, SMAR’s co-founder. “The disc’s panels blur the line between architecture and art, much like an impressionist painting that evokes rather than imitates reality.”
Reimagining the Science Museum as Civic Sculpture
The Science Island Museum is the latest in a growing global trend where museums serve as both educational institutions and architectural statements. SMAR’s design for Kaunas follows the success of other notable cultural builds such as MAD Architects’ Fenix Museum in Rotterdam and Kengo Kuma’s UCCA Clay Museum in China—both redefining the role of museums in the public realm.
For Kaunas, this museum is more than a cultural venue. It is a symbol of regeneration, offering a new space for civic interaction, education, and artistic expression. By merging environmental context, innovative construction, and cultural meaning, SMAR Architecture Studio has introduced a project that resonates far beyond its geographic location.