Visaginas was founded in 1975 and designed by architects from Kaunas (Lithuania) and Saint Petersburg (Russia). At the time, it was one of the most ambitious and modern urban development projects in the region. Built in an area that had remained largely untouched by urbanisation, the city was created as a distinctive living environment for the employees of the nuclear power plant. Their diverse cultural backgrounds and architectural vision are still reflected in the city's urban layout and architectural character.

Lithuania's youngest city was planned and built according to a unified architectural concept encompassing all three residential districts. One of Visaginas' defining features is its apartment buildings seamlessly integrated into the surrounding pine forests, with large woodland areas carefully preserved and the urban layout adapted to the natural landscape. This exceptionally compact, pedestrian-friendly city has no private residential housing—the skyline is defined instead by distinctive multi-storey apartment buildings of varying heights and designs.