80th anniversary of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture

Origins – Civil Engineering Division of the Technical Faculty at the University of Lithuania

The Technical Faculty at the University of Lithuania, established on 16 February 1922, comprised the divisions of Civil Engineering, Mechanics, Chemistry and Electrotechnics. The Minister of Education Petras Juodakis appointed the following professors as the core staff of the Technical Faculty since 16 February 1922: Pranas Jodelė, Platonas Jankauskas, Jonas Šimkus, Jonas Šimoliūnas and Kazimieras Vasiliauskas. The studies at the Technical Faculty were not easy – until 1927, only 3 people graduated from this faculty and all of them from the Civil Engineering Division. Until 1932, 27 people graduated from the Civil Engineering Division, defended their diploma projects at the public meetings of the faculty board and acquired the title of a qualified engineer. In 1930, the university was given the name of Vytautas the Great (Vytautas Magnus University). Until 1932, the premises of the Civil Engineering Division were located in 3 Chambers and since 1932, they were relocated to the Chamber of the Physics-Chemistry Institute in Aleksotas. Prof. P. Jodelė was supervising the Lithuanian research of raw materials for cement, clays and quartz sand and significantly contributed to the development of the building materials industry in Lithuania. The faculty had a scientific journal “Techniką” publishing the scientific articles of the lecturers; it prepared and printed textbooks and created Lithuanian terminology. The Technical Faculty had a library collecting technical literature. In 1932–1937, Lithuanian students completed internships in the enterprises in Finland, Czech Republic, Latvia and Sweden and the students from these countries were coming to work in the Lithuanian enterprises. In January 1940, when the Faculties of Humanities and Law were relocated to Vilnius University, the Technical Faculty gained more premises – Chamber I of the University; there were plans to divide the Technical Faculty into the Civil Engineering and Technological Faculties.

Prof. Pranas Jodelė – Statybos medžiagų laboratorijos vedėjas, 1927 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

Lietuvos universiteto Technikos fakulteto braižykla, 1927 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Technikos fakulteto leidiniai 1922–1932 m.

Geodezijos kabinetas Lietuvos universiteto I rūmuose, 1927 m. Centre – kabineto vedėjas doc. plk. ltn. Stasys Dirmantas. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

Prof. M. Songaila su studentais braižykloje, 1927 m. Pirmas iš dešinės – J. Dragašius, trečias – K. Germanas. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

Lietuvos universiteto architektūros ir pritaikomosios mechanikos kolekcijos I rūmų koridoriuje, 1927 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

Fizikos-chemijos instituto rūmai, į kuriuos 1931 m. vasarą įsikėlė fizikos ir chemijos laboratorijos bei Technikos fakultetas. Rūmų statybos pirmininkas 1930–1931 m. buvo prof. P. Jodelė. (Originalas – Lietuvos centriniame valstybės archyve)

Technikos fakulteto leidiniai 1932–1933 m.

Technikos fakulteto mokslo personalas, 1932 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Prof. Kazimiero Vasiliausko knygos 1929–1935 m.

Asistentas Juozas Indriūnas Mechaninėje medžiagų atsparumo laboratorijoje, 1932 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Prof. P. Jodelės ir prof. S. Kolupailos knygos 1929–1940 m.

Prof. S. Kolupaila su studentais Botanikos sode įkurtoje Hidrometrinėje laboratorijoje, 1933 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

Doc. J. Gabrio mokslo darbai 1937–1940 m.

Prof. J. Šimoliūnas ir asistentas L. Gimbutas Technikos fakulteto Statybos kabinete, 1931 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

S. Grinkevičiaus ir S. Kairio knygos, 1929–1939 m.

Technikos fakulteto Statybos skyriaus absolventų diplominių darbų gynimo metu, 1932 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje).

Establishment and development of the Civil Engineering Faculty in 1940–1950

After Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union, on 26 July 1940, the puppet “People’s Government” adopted a new Statute of VDU changing its structure; the Statute was amended once more on 21 August, changing the name to Kaunas University. Since 15 August 1940, according to the plan prepared by the commission led by prof. Vytautas Mošinskis before the occupation of Lithuania, the Technical Faculty was divided into two faculties: Civil Engineering and Technological Faculties. Prof. Steponas Kolupaila was appointed as the Dean of the Civil Engineering Faculty. On 26 July, it was announced that student organisations are prohibited and their assets, including all their rights and obligations, are transferred to the Communist Youth Union. The students and lecturers had to listen to the lectures on Marxism-Leninism, send congratulatory telegrams to the heads of the party and government on various occasions and march in demonstrations. On the night of 14 June 1941, the Soviet occupants began an exile of the Lithuanian citizens according to the scheduled plan. A number of the University lecturers, students and employees were arrested.

During the Nazi occupation, the anti-Nazi movement was active in Lithuania, the attempts to form the SS units were unsuccessful; therefore, the occupational army occupied almost all buildings of the University and terminated studies; however; the students of medicine and technologies were allowed to complete their studies. The Dean of the Civil Engineering Faculty S. Kairys was forced to hide due to the Gestapo persecution. He was replaced by prof. S. Dirmantas. Despite various restrictions and prohibitions during the war and the lack of premises, research work continued and monographs were being prepared for publishing at the University. In 1942, the Civil Engineering Faculty published the work “Medžiagų atsparumas” (“Strength of Materials”) by prof. K. Vasiliauskas, the collective work “Statybos normos ir tabelės” (“Standards and Tables of Construction”), “Topometriją” (“Topometry”) by prof. S. Dirmantas, “Hidraulika” (Hydraulics”) by prof. S. Kolupaila and the 4^th volume of “Statyba” (“Construction”) by prof. J. Šimoliūnas. In the summer of 1944, when the German army was moving out of Lithuania, part of the lecturers and students moved to Germany in fear of the second Soviet occupation and repressions.

On 13 November 1944, by the decree of the Council of People’s Commissars of the Lithuanian SSR, the work of Kaunas National Vytautas Magnus University was restored, including the work of the Civil Engineering Faculty and its divisions of Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geodesy, Melioration, Hydrotechnics and Roads. In the autumn of 1945, the Architecture Division was reorganised into the Architecture Faculty that was operating until the reorganisation into Kaunas Polytechnical Institute. On 1 January 1951, the Civil Engineering Faculty was located in the Town Hall and the Architecture Faculty was located in the Grand Chamber (currently – KTU School of Economics and Business) and later, the former Insurance Chamber (A. Mickevičiaus St.) and former Bishop Chamber. The second Soviet occupation was characterised by ideological coercion and repressions. Some students, who could not accept the occupation, joined the partisan war. One of the best known partisans was a student of the Corporation “Grandis” Juozas Lukša who studied architecture at the Civil Engineering Faculty.

Universiteto Pirmieji rūmai, kuriuose 1940–1943 m. buvo Statybos fakultetas. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

LSSR švietimo liaudies komisaro A. Venclovos įsakymo nuorašas dėl Kauno universiteto Statybos ir Technologijos fakultetų vyresniojo mokslo personalo skyrimo, 1940 m. rugsėjo 4 d. (Originalas – KTU archyve)

Statybos fakulteto vyr. dėstytojo Jono Kiškino pažymėjimas, 1941 m.

LSSR švietimo liaudies komisaro pavaduotojo J. Žiugždos raštas rektoriui A. Purėnui, kuriame nurodoma nutraukti visus ryšius su užsienio firmomis, 1941 m. balandžio 9 d. (Originalas – KTU archyve)

Prof. Steponas Kolupaila – inžinierius hidrologas, Statybos fakulteto dekanas 1940–1941 m.

Statybos fakulteto Architektūros skyriaus studento Jono Vytauto Nistelio pažymėjimas, 1942 m.

Studentų talka, ruošiant malkas universitetui prieš žiemos sezoną, 1942 m. birželio 7 d. Iš kairės: Steponas Lataitis, Vytautas Naujokaitis, Vladas Macevičius, neatpažintas asmuo, Bronius Liesis.

Prof. Steponas Kairys – Vasario 16-osios Nepriklausomybės akto signataras, ministras, seimų narys, Kauno miesto savivaldybės Kanalizacijos ir vandentiekio skyriaus vedėjas, Statybos fakulteto dekanas 1941–1944 m., antisovietinės ir antinacinės rezistencijos dalyvis. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Pažymėjimas, išduotas asistentui J. Gimbutui, su Statybos fakulteto dekano prof. S. Kairio parašu, 1942 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Pirmoji Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto studentų hidrotechnikų laida prof. S. Kairiu ir prof. S. Kolupaila, 1943 m. (Originalas – B. Petrulio šeimos archyve)

Prof. Jono Šimoliūno knyga „Statyba“, išleista 1943 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Statybos fakulteto absolventai, 1943 m. gruodžio 17 d.

Rotušės rūmai, kuriuose 1946–1960 m. buvo įsikūręs Statybos fakultetas. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Prof. Prano Jodelės knyga „Statybinės medžiagos“, išspausdinta 1948 m.

Statybos fakulteto pirmakursiai griuvėsių valymo talkoje, 1949 m. (Nuotr. iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

KVVDU Statybos fakulteto narių sąrašas,1945 m. (Originalas – KTU archyve)

Statybos fakulteto 1-ojo kurso studentai grįžta iš karinio parengimo paskaitos rikiuotės pratybų, 1949 m. (Nuotr. iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

Karikatūros iš Architektūros fakulteto III kurso studentų sienlaikraščio, 1949 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Statybos fakulteto miestučių žaidimo komanda, 1950 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Statybos fakulteto sienlaikraščio „Menas ir sportas“ puslapiai, 1950 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Kauno valstybinio Vytauto Didžiojo universiteto Architektūros kompozicijos būrelis, 1949 m. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Civil Engineering Studies at Kaunas Polytechnical Institute

On 31 October 1950, by the order of the Minister of Higher and Special Education of the SSRS S. Kaftanov, Kaunas National Vytautas Magnus University was reorganised into Kaunas Polytechnical Institute. The faculties of Civil Engineering and Architecture were reorganised into the faculties of Civil Engineering and Hydrotechnics (since 1962 – Sanitary Engineering). Famous Lithuanian artists Kazys Šimonis, Antanas Žmuidzinavičius, sculptor Alfonsas Janulis, stained-glass artist Stasys Ušinskas were working at the Department of Graphic Works of the Civil Engineering Faculty. After the war, the students had to help the newly established collective farms (kolkhozes). In 1951, KPI Communist Youth Committee offered the students to build a hydropower plant at “Šešupės” kolkhoz in Kapsukas (currently – Marijampolė) District. More than 700 students and lecturers of the institute took part in this project, most of them were not members of the Komsomol or Communists. The anti-Soviet moods were felt particularly often at the Civil Engineering Faculty – the students were involved in the anti-Soviet organisations, participated in Vėlinės (All Souls Day) in 1956–1957, ignored the lectures on Marxism-Leninism, sang anti-Soviet songs, were ripping the Soviet flags. Some of them were arrested for these activities, others were expelled from the institute. In May 1965, the new chamber of the Civil Engineering Faculty was opened at the Student Campus. The Town Hall and other premises of the Civil Engineering Faculty were returned to the Executive Committee of Kaunas City. In 1970, the Departments of Roads and Geodesy at the Sanitary Engineering Faculty were relocated to Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute. Since 1971, the Departments of Architecture, Settlement Planning and Management of the Civil Engineering Faculty were relocated to Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute; therefore these faculties were merged into one Civil and Sanitary Engineering Faculty. In 1988, the disciplines of heating, gas supply and ventilation, water supply and sewage and the departments curating these disciplines were relocated to Vilnius Civil Engineering Institute and the Civil and Sanitary Engineering Faculty became the Civil Engineering Faculty. In 1951–1988, the Civil and Sanitary Engineering Faculty had 8244 graduates who were appointed to work in construction, heating, gas supply and operation and water management enterprises and design institutes of the Lithuanian SSR.

1951 m. Architektūros fakultetas, įsikūręs buvusiuose Vyskupijos rūmuose (Donelaičio gatvėje), buvo sujungtas su Statybos fakultetu.

Statybos fakulteto studento B. Januševičiaus diplominio darbo gynimas buvusios arkivyskupijos salėje, 1953 m. (Nuotr. iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

Statybos fakulteto diplomų gynimas buvusios arkivyskupijos salėje, 1953 m. (Nuotr. iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

SSRS Statybos įmonių Donbaso rajone vyriausiosios valdybos raginimas B. Januševičiui kuo greičiau atvykti į paskyrimo vietą Vorošilovgrade, jeigu neatvyks, grasina bylą perduoti prokuratūrai, 1953 m. (Iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

KPI Statybos fakulteto III laidos vinjetė, 1953 m. (Iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

KPI rektoriaus K. Baršausko raštas B. Januševičiui apie paskyrimą prie LSRS Plano komiteto, 1953 m. gruodis. (Iš B. Januševičiaus asmeninio archyvo)

Marijampolės rajono „Šešupės“ kolūkio Dovinės hidroelektrinės projekto, parengto KPI Statybos ir architektūros fakulteto, brėžiniai, 1951 m. Hidroelektrinę 1953 m. pastatė KPI dėstytojai ir studentai. (Originalas – KTU muziejuje)

Statybos fakulteto laboratorijoje, 1955 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

Statybos fakulteto dėstytojų ekspedicija, 1955 m. Centre – dekanas doc. S. Sčesnulevičius.

KPI Statybos fakulteto II kurso studentai Kauno hidroelektrinės statyboje, 1956 m.

Inžinierių statybininkų XI laidos vinjetė, 1956–1961 m.

Prorektorius Henrikas Petrusevičius stebi Statybos rūmų pamatų klojimo darbus, 1961 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

1961 m. pradėti statyti Statybos rūmai, davę pradžią Studentų miesteliui. Nuotraukoje: studentai talkininkauja rūmų statyboje, 1964 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

Statybos fakulteto studentų mokslinės draugijos nariai, 1963 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

Paskaita Statybos fakulteto Grafinių darbų ir piešimo katedroje, 1964 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

Grafinių darbų ir piešimo katedros vedėjas prof. Alfonsas Janulis, 1965 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

Aspirantas Vidmantas Jonas Jokubaitis Gelžbetoninių konstrukcijų laboratorijoje, 1965 m. (V. Varno nuotr.)

Statybos fakulteto gelžbetonio konstrukcijų laboratorija, 1966 m.

Statybos fakulteto gelžbetonio konstrukcijų laboratorija, 1970 m.

Statybos fakulteto diplomantai, 1971 m. (R. Žiemio nuotr.)

Doc. J. Deltuva konsultuoja diplomantą R. Plaušinį, 1975 m. (V.Bartkevičiaus nuotr.)

Studentų miestelis – Statybos rūmai, 1978 m.

KTU Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture

When Lithuania won its independence, on 31 October 1990, Kaunas Polytechnical Institute was renamed Kaunas University of Technology. On 12 December 1990, the University Council legalised the two-cycle study system. In 1992, a democratic Council of the Civil Engineering Faculty was elected for the first time and on 14 April, Dean doc. Henrikas Elzbutas was elected. On 2 July 1992, KTU Statute was approved at the Supreme Council of Lithuania-Reconstituent Seimas. In 1995, the Architecture and Landscaping Department was restored at the Civil Engineering Faculty; therefore, from 6 December, the faculty was renamed the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture. At the initiative of the faculty, on 8 May 1996, the title of the honorary doctor was awarded to the qualified engineer, construction specialist of large objects in Germany and other countries of the world Friedrich Marcks who gifted personal computers and projector system to the Laboratory of Economic Mathematical Modelling in Construction Processes in the sum of 11 thousand Deutsche Marks. In 2001, this laboratory was named after F. Marcks. In 1994, the Studies Foundation of F. Marcks was established at KTU; this foundation was awarding yearly scholarships to the best students of the faculty and later, it also awarded premiums to the best master’s students. Commemorating its 80^th anniversary, the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture offers study programmes involving advanced study methods and innovative technologies. The faculty develops research of technologies, humanities and arts conducted by approximately 100 educators and researchers. The faculty organises scientific conferences and traditional Drawing Olympiads of Prof. Antanas Žmuidzinavičius for pupils. In 2019, the Centre for Smart Cities and Infrastructure was opened at the faculty. The Students’ Association of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture “Statius” organises traditional events – “Guitar Evening”, Career Days, freshmen christening, etc.