Gatis
May 31st, 2005, 06:24 PM
Finally I managed to get up in Saules akmens (height – 123 meters). Here picture showing the building one year ago, when it was not completed yet:
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/4935/saulesakmn3ee.jpg
I had a meeting in the building and there was arranged short excursion up.
Unfortunately the weather was bad... and becoming even worse. But the pictures are usable.
The building itself is impressive, of course. Rather minimalistic interior, but high quality materials used. Employees really love to be there, although there are certain problems too. F.e. the large glass wall in sunny time makes working place too bright, there were some technical problems with ventilation for a while too. But they say – coming in early morning, when the Sun goes up over historical centre of Riga and Daugava – this charges with energy for whole day.
There can be arranged excursions to the 25th floor, where is located cafe. So I went up there too.
But first – some pictures from the second floor:
AB dam. Architects have invented that the Concert Hall should be built exactly there. With great interest waiting – how this will be implemented.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3073/1abdambis31mai056je.jpg
View to Kliversala over Agenskalna Gulf. Looks green.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/5629/2skatsuzkliversalu31mai050pm.jpg
House in Balasta dambis 1 is one of few historical buildings which will remain here, among skyscrapers
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/9410/3balasta131mai051pf.jpg
Balasta dambis – small, almost forgoten street. There are approved three more highrises along this street – and there certainly will be traffic problems, if there will be no reconstruction.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3953/4balastadambis31mai051ny.jpg
The only interior picture – shows the door to the elevators. The number on the door shows the height above earth. In 25th floor there was 91.something meters.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/7756/5durvisaraugstumu31mai059sl.jpg
Ok, now we are in 25th floor, cafe. Hope, these people will not mind.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/2539/6staavs25ais31mai055vh.jpg
Weather is simply bad
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/5900/7rasotslogs31mai059nm.jpg
Vansu bridge goes into historical centre. Somehow I never manage to catch traffic jams on this bridge.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/8958/8vansutilts231mai052bz.jpg
Vansu bridge – close-up. Old trolleybus
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/9360/9vansutiltsbrauktuve31mai054el.jpg
Riga Castle in forefront, Hotel Latvia in background
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/5347/10centrslatvija31mai055yq.jpg
St Peter’s church and souther part of Old Riga. Soon it will be full with construction cranes.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/6416/11peterabazn31mai051lt.jpg
Traffic jam coming from the Krasta Street. Central Market and Maskachka in background.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3134/12korkjisdaugavmala31mai052sm.jpg
Daugava bridges. The construction works of the Southern bridge are not seen – this is too far. Radisson SAS in the right side.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/8299/13daugavaabdambis31mai050bx.jpg
Detail of the building and Daugava bridges:
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3499/14daugavatilti31mai055zu.jpg
Zakusala island – 3.5 km long but only some hundred meters wide.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/4137/15zakusala31mai052gz.jpg
Kliversala – in the forefront there is the planned highrise district:
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/2826/kliversala0lv.jpg
Soviet time factory is rebuilt into apartment house already. The remaining area stands without people, in ruins. Some historical factory buildings would be renovated, most of the trees would remain too.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/9025/16kliversala31mai058ch.jpg
Uzvaras parks with the monument to Soviet „liberators”.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3696/17uzvarasparks231mai053zh.jpg
Uzvaras parks once more. Here you see also Balasta dambis.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/1420/18uzvarasparks31mai052nx.jpg
The building with the metallic roof will be demolished in this summer – there will be „ da Vinci” highrise.
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/6817/davinci7ep.jpg
Behind it there is approved another highrise – luxury 20-24 floor apartment building.
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/2576/balasta110gr.jpg
But even nearer to us there is approved one more – 25-floor highrise, to be built by DAM Properties. Weird to imagine, how this all will look together.
Preses nams below us. Oh jeez, how I am waiting for the day when demolition will start.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/9485/19presesnams31mai056vi.jpg
Preses nams and Kalnciema Street going to Vansu bridge. This street should have expensive reconstruction, it should be rised on estacades. You see the typography complex as well behind Preses nams – that’s the place where the highest skyscraper of Riga could be located. In the other side of Zunda channel highrise complex „Vertikala pasaule” is approved as well, construction site prepared.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/6171/20presesnams231mai054gz.jpg
Please, „enjoy” Preses nams a bit closer.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/2284/21presesnamstuvu31mai051jy.jpg
Site of „Akropolis” complex, where in next year two 30-floorers should be started.
http://img263.echo.cx/img263/9827/image19tz.jpg
Demolition works to prepare the site have been started in the far side of the former Agriculture Machinery Factory.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/2172/22akropolesvieta31mai051qk.jpg
Highrise apartments u/c in Imanta. Both „Solaris” towers have reached 22 floor.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/9632/23imantasdebesskr31mai050nt.jpg
Supermarket „Olympia”. The third construction stage envisaged construction of rooftop gardens with children playground – but they had some problems and are not doing it this year. In the far corner they had to build 25 – 26 floor office-highrise „Smaile” as well, but now the fate of these plans is unknown to me.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/6127/24tcolimpija31mai056sj.jpg
10-floor construction was standing some 15 years without use. Now it is turned into 4-star hotel „Islande”.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/9819/25hotelislande31mai058bo.jpg
That’s all, folks! Hope to come back in better time, there are more interesting things to show. Unfortunately I did not manage to take pictures to the north, where is located harbour, Andrejsala and some more interesting things.
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/4935/saulesakmn3ee.jpg
I had a meeting in the building and there was arranged short excursion up.
Unfortunately the weather was bad... and becoming even worse. But the pictures are usable.
The building itself is impressive, of course. Rather minimalistic interior, but high quality materials used. Employees really love to be there, although there are certain problems too. F.e. the large glass wall in sunny time makes working place too bright, there were some technical problems with ventilation for a while too. But they say – coming in early morning, when the Sun goes up over historical centre of Riga and Daugava – this charges with energy for whole day.
There can be arranged excursions to the 25th floor, where is located cafe. So I went up there too.
But first – some pictures from the second floor:
AB dam. Architects have invented that the Concert Hall should be built exactly there. With great interest waiting – how this will be implemented.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3073/1abdambis31mai056je.jpg
View to Kliversala over Agenskalna Gulf. Looks green.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/5629/2skatsuzkliversalu31mai050pm.jpg
House in Balasta dambis 1 is one of few historical buildings which will remain here, among skyscrapers
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/9410/3balasta131mai051pf.jpg
Balasta dambis – small, almost forgoten street. There are approved three more highrises along this street – and there certainly will be traffic problems, if there will be no reconstruction.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3953/4balastadambis31mai051ny.jpg
The only interior picture – shows the door to the elevators. The number on the door shows the height above earth. In 25th floor there was 91.something meters.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/7756/5durvisaraugstumu31mai059sl.jpg
Ok, now we are in 25th floor, cafe. Hope, these people will not mind.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/2539/6staavs25ais31mai055vh.jpg
Weather is simply bad
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/5900/7rasotslogs31mai059nm.jpg
Vansu bridge goes into historical centre. Somehow I never manage to catch traffic jams on this bridge.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/8958/8vansutilts231mai052bz.jpg
Vansu bridge – close-up. Old trolleybus
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/9360/9vansutiltsbrauktuve31mai054el.jpg
Riga Castle in forefront, Hotel Latvia in background
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/5347/10centrslatvija31mai055yq.jpg
St Peter’s church and souther part of Old Riga. Soon it will be full with construction cranes.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/6416/11peterabazn31mai051lt.jpg
Traffic jam coming from the Krasta Street. Central Market and Maskachka in background.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3134/12korkjisdaugavmala31mai052sm.jpg
Daugava bridges. The construction works of the Southern bridge are not seen – this is too far. Radisson SAS in the right side.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/8299/13daugavaabdambis31mai050bx.jpg
Detail of the building and Daugava bridges:
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3499/14daugavatilti31mai055zu.jpg
Zakusala island – 3.5 km long but only some hundred meters wide.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/4137/15zakusala31mai052gz.jpg
Kliversala – in the forefront there is the planned highrise district:
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/2826/kliversala0lv.jpg
Soviet time factory is rebuilt into apartment house already. The remaining area stands without people, in ruins. Some historical factory buildings would be renovated, most of the trees would remain too.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/9025/16kliversala31mai058ch.jpg
Uzvaras parks with the monument to Soviet „liberators”.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/3696/17uzvarasparks231mai053zh.jpg
Uzvaras parks once more. Here you see also Balasta dambis.
http://img133.echo.cx/img133/1420/18uzvarasparks31mai052nx.jpg
The building with the metallic roof will be demolished in this summer – there will be „ da Vinci” highrise.
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/6817/davinci7ep.jpg
Behind it there is approved another highrise – luxury 20-24 floor apartment building.
http://img140.exs.cx/img140/2576/balasta110gr.jpg
But even nearer to us there is approved one more – 25-floor highrise, to be built by DAM Properties. Weird to imagine, how this all will look together.
Preses nams below us. Oh jeez, how I am waiting for the day when demolition will start.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/9485/19presesnams31mai056vi.jpg
Preses nams and Kalnciema Street going to Vansu bridge. This street should have expensive reconstruction, it should be rised on estacades. You see the typography complex as well behind Preses nams – that’s the place where the highest skyscraper of Riga could be located. In the other side of Zunda channel highrise complex „Vertikala pasaule” is approved as well, construction site prepared.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/6171/20presesnams231mai054gz.jpg
Please, „enjoy” Preses nams a bit closer.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/2284/21presesnamstuvu31mai051jy.jpg
Site of „Akropolis” complex, where in next year two 30-floorers should be started.
http://img263.echo.cx/img263/9827/image19tz.jpg
Demolition works to prepare the site have been started in the far side of the former Agriculture Machinery Factory.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/2172/22akropolesvieta31mai051qk.jpg
Highrise apartments u/c in Imanta. Both „Solaris” towers have reached 22 floor.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/9632/23imantasdebesskr31mai050nt.jpg
Supermarket „Olympia”. The third construction stage envisaged construction of rooftop gardens with children playground – but they had some problems and are not doing it this year. In the far corner they had to build 25 – 26 floor office-highrise „Smaile” as well, but now the fate of these plans is unknown to me.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/6127/24tcolimpija31mai056sj.jpg
10-floor construction was standing some 15 years without use. Now it is turned into 4-star hotel „Islande”.
http://img139.echo.cx/img139/9819/25hotelislande31mai058bo.jpg
That’s all, folks! Hope to come back in better time, there are more interesting things to show. Unfortunately I did not manage to take pictures to the north, where is located harbour, Andrejsala and some more interesting things.