Architect, urban planner
Elina Amann, last edited on 07.10.2022
Name:
Apolonja Nisteliene / LT: Apolonija Nistelienė
Life Dates:
1925 – ?
Country:
Employers:
Planning Department of the Institute of Municipal Economy in Šiauliai (1950 – 1985)
Field of expertise:
Architectural Design, construction engineering, urban planning
Education:
Vytautas Magnus University (1950)
The Lithuanian Apolonija Nistelienė was born in Kaunas on 6 August 1925. In her hometown, she attended Vytautas Magnus University and studied architecture there from 1944 to 1950. At the same time, she graduated in history and philology in 1948 and continued this studies at Vlinius University (1949-1951).
For her career she decided to work as an architect. From 1950 to 1985, Nistelienė started working in the planning department of the Institute of Municipal Economy in Šiauliai. After that, she also worked in other municipal institutions.
She designed secondary schools and kindergartens as well as other public buildings in Šiauliai. The Wedding Palace, associated with the ideology of the Soviet’s atheism, was built in 1975 according to her design with co-author I. Laurus. The architect focused on formative buildings, as well as gates and fences, designed to shape and enhance the cityscape. The exterior facades and interiors of cinemas and numerous pharmacies were designed according to her plans. The architect also devoted herself to the design of open spaces and cultural places in Šiauliai. Parks, squares and large areas such as industrial zones or cemeteries were shaped by her planning department. Nistelienė also took sacred architecture into account in Šiauliai and other cities in the country. As was common in the Soviet period, these were typical projects found in every city. The architect lacked freedom and less creativity during the period. The restrictions of the time did not allow her to realise her original ideas and concepts. For example, when designing the cemetery, she wanted to decorate the gates with musical effects in an original way. When the gates were opened, bells would ring out simultaneously, but this idea was forbidden by Soviet government officials.
Main image: By Rimantas Lazdynas – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10955607 (last accessed on 07.10.2022)
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