Architecture as Mnemonic: The Central Post Office, Kaunas, Lithuania

This chapter focuses on the former Central Post Office in Kaunas, which is one of the most iconic Modernist buildings in Lithuania. The building was designed by Feliksas Vizbaras (1880–1966) in 1930 and opened in 1931. It has been recognised as an important symbol of the newly independent Lithuanian state. More than a symbolic object, the contextual response, vernacular reinterpretation and user experience of this Modernist building all contribute to shaping its meanings and memories of place, which are lasting beyond the changing conditions of society. This case study echoes a lesser-known alternative modernism influenced by the region’s vernacular architecture, its sustained meaning and accumulated memories. It also reconfirms the mnemonic potential of architecture to act as a bearer of memories.