So.. official opening of Saules akmens has happened. It was for selected people. There was firework from the top of the building and fine lights but I missed it - just saw in the evening news.
In Riga there is happening a lot more, thus even with all these happenings Saules akmens was a bit lonely and sad - public as always is having fun in the enormous Centre in the other coast of Daugava.

Just three pictures from this evening:

This street - Balasta dambis - should be the future highrise street. Now it is small and silent
http://img99.exs.cx/img99/7058/SaulesAkmnoAgensk17nov04.jpgLooking from middle part of Kipsala
http://img99.exs.cx/img99/4286/SaulesAkmnopietur217nov04.jpg
And from the corner at Daugava
http://img99.exs.cx/img99/6552/Saulesakm17nov04.jpg

OK, so Saules akmens construction saga is over and we concentrate more on the other ones...

Looks great at night although I think the pictures are a bit too dark if honestly.

I wish to see a big photo thread of Riga by night some day (especially the old town with lit-up buildings), never really seen many nightshots of Riga in a single thread.

You know that I am not doing good the nightshots. Also this evening tried... so many buildings are lighted now - but images too noisy, unusable. Am glad that at least these were good.
In reality it was soo light around the highrise!

Hmm .. I really don't believe your camera cannot produce good night photos, maybe you just have to change some settings for night photographing (set slower shutter speed, reduce ISO to avoid "noise" ).

But anyway from these pictures I can realize how cool SA looks at night. Now I'm wondering if they're always going to keep all the lights on at night? And is there any special exterior ilumination from outside?

I am sure that they will not keep the lights on. Unfortunately I do not see also any specific illuminations...
Regarding camera - I set ISO the lovest possible - ISO 100. Shutter speed??? It is automatic. Will look for option to make in longer - did not imagine to do this. Huh, I even have tripod although have never used it...

What kind of camera you have Gatis?
I don't think that the photos are too dark, it looks better this way IMO. :)

Sony DSC F717 - large one

Sony DSC F717 - large one

According to tech specifications, you can manually change the shutter speed from 1/1000 s. to 30 s. so it's just ideal camera for great night photos. :yes:

It was finished yesterday???? OMG I thought it has been months since the construction ended :doh:

how long did it take to finish it?

Wow, looks awesome :eek:

@Singidunum - This highrise was built over the last 18 months.

@John - will try to find some time to learn pictures with this camera. It should manage well - I realise it after looking great night pictures made by lover class cameras.

Btw. in Internet comments many local people complain about the glowing letters "Hansabanka" - they say that it destroys the balance of the building. To my mind it adds something... and after all spending 30 mio EUR you have some rights to place your name on it???
How do you think???

Superb
It's my fave skyscraper ever..

Fairly large office building! Is Hansa Bank the main tenant? I recall hearing a few years ago that Hansa Bank was going to build a large office building in Riga and move most of its main operations from Tallinn to Riga. Is this still true?

Partly true.
This building serves as head office for Latvian Hansabanka. Head office stays in Tallinn. Hansabanka is the main tenant and owner of the building but some floors in the middle are rented for other companies.

I think the "Hansabank" text changes the character of the building a lot, especially at night. It's like as if it is entirely different building than the one you photographed on that summer morning, glittering against the reddish sky. The company definitely has every right to put their name on top it and be proud of it.

Gatis, have you ever considered the possibility of asking the owners if it were possible to visit the building from inside some day?

Superb !

so do they still keep all lights on?

No :) But many of them work (or browse SSC?) late in the evening, one or another floor is lighted even very late in the night. In general the building has got some special lighting in the night - it looks cool.

so is there observation deck opened for public?

Before start to build Saules Akmens, they announced that they move the heasd ofice to Riga. When are they going to do that?

Partly true.
This building serves as head office for Latvian Hansabanka. Head office stays in Tallinn. Hansabanka is the main tenant and owner of the building but some floors in the middle are rented for other companies.

@Janis_LV - such talks are constant in Hansapank (in Estonia). But no official decision has been taken about it - and may be never will be done. There is no practical reasoning for it yet. Currently Hansapank is becoming more Latvian and Lithuanian, true Panbaltic bank. Some shareholders are Estonians, some - Scandinavians. In Latvia it has local managers and staff, in Lithuania the same. Seems, that very little part of their profit leaves Latvia.