Anno 1932: House of businessman Romanas Polovinskas, residential building on Gedimino Street in Kaunas, Lithuania. August 19, 2023
Architect Arnas Funkas. The Polovinskas is a family that during different stages of its life demonstrated efficacy, entrepreneurial skills, new ideas turning into sources of income; Romanas who managed to become the family’s millionaire was the one who embodied this family’s entrepreneurial skills. The business empire of young Polovinskas started in 1923, when together with Pranas Urbonas, they started a construction company Mūras. At the course of time, both the construction company and Romanas himself occupied an important place in the Lithuanian business world. After making a fortune, the businessman decided to build a large house at the city centre: the building of expressive and plastic architecture was designed by a modernist famous for its unique style, Arnas Funkas. The luxurious building had a two-part garage in a private courtyard and a lift. The premises on the ground flood were exceptional because of their large showcase windows and were dedicated to commerce: it was planned to use the premises for a hairdressing salon and two stores. One of them was rented for a long time to a student company Studentai. There was also
an editorial office of a weekly paper Sekmadienis. The media of that time soon started referring to the house as “the Palace of Contractor Palavinskas”. The house also served as the office of Mūras company itself. After the Soviet occupation, the owner and his wife moved to West, he died in 1966 in the USA.
Anno 1932: House of businessman Romanas Polovinskas, residential building on Gedimino Street in Kaunas, Lithuania. August 19, 2023
Architect Arnas Funkas. The Polovinskas is a family that during different stages of its life demonstrated efficacy, entrepreneurial skills, new ideas turning into sources of income; Romanas who managed to become the family’s millionaire was the one who embodied this family’s entrepreneurial skills. The business empire of young Polovinskas started in 1923, when together with Pranas Urbonas, they started a construction company Mūras. At the course of time, both the construction company and Romanas himself occupied an important place in the Lithuanian business world. After making a fortune, the businessman decided to build a large house at the city centre: the building of expressive and plastic architecture was designed by a modernist famous for its unique style, Arnas Funkas. The luxurious building had a two-part garage in a private courtyard and a lift. The premises on the ground flood were exceptional because of their large showcase windows and were dedicated to commerce: it was planned to use the premises for a hairdressing salon and two stores. One of them was rented for a long time to a student company Studentai. There was also
an editorial office of a weekly paper Sekmadienis. The media of that time soon started referring to the house as “the Palace of Contractor Palavinskas”. The house also served as the office of Mūras company itself. After the Soviet occupation, the owner and his wife moved to West, he died in 1966 in the USA.