Riga City development news thread

[Gatis]

My second serious attempt to establish thread like this. ;)

Kipsala to become Riga's new modern architecture center, buildings up to 40 floors high (24th March)

Company Arhis has been asked to collect the results of recent international tenders and competitions about Kipsala development to elaborate the vision about the development of Kipsala island.
Sorry - I do not have the pictures yet - their homepage www.arhis.lv is down today :(
Today Riga City Development department is looking through this document. Kipsala island is some 3 km long, it is located in opposite coast to Old City - in middle runs Daugava river which is some 800 m wide here.
http://www.rsp.lv/arh/bildes/kartes/kipsala_kliversala.gif
Here the island in upper left corner
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/637675123.jpg
The main conclusions:
Northern part of the island has many characteristic historical buildings and the historical environment there should be kept and continued.
http://www.rent.lv/img/first_04.jpg
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/976926923.jpg
In the northern part of the island there is planned tunnel, connecting it with the left shore (Ilguciems). There, along the shore would be running underground street - magistral way to Riga harbour (would post the Riga transportation development plans later).
In Kipsala there is planned to develop new tramline, mostly on estacades.
Southern part on contrary would be densely built with highrise buildings, although Riga city planners and architects are still discussing how dense and high these buildings would be.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/976946923.jpg
In Kipsala southern part and around Agenskalna licis there would be built 15 - 30 highrise buildings. One or two of the buildings would have height up to 40 floors, most would be around 30 floors.
An 1 year old small picture, then the project was not that far developed:
http://www.architektura.lv/images/skate/2.jpg
Here the city would be developed in three levels. Lower level would be for transportation, middle level - lowrise office and living rooms and upper level (mostly on the roofs of the buildings) - green area and parks. It is planend to create green corridors to other parts of cities, as well as wide, green promenade with trees through Kipsala.
Zunda channel would be cleaned and developed as yachting area with pubs and promenades at the shore.
Middle part of the island has Technical University. It is planned to rebuild it too, but here the height if the buildings would be less - up to 10 floors.

The vision is going to be included in detailed plans for this area, which would be elaborated until 2006. Huge planning works should be made for infrastructure planning, as a district of highrise buildings would have high requirements on water, electricity and other networks. In total the realisation of the whole vision would require some 20 years, especially long time would take development of tunnels, underground streets, green areas.
After building of Saules akmens the interest of investors in this area for building highrise buildings is very high. As you might know - one 24floor highrise would be started this spring.
There has been made also public opinion poll. Among other questions - 17,9% fully agree with building of highrise buildings around "Saules akmens", 40,8% - partly agree.
They are very careful and slow, taking into account any possible interests... but I like it that way. These works would change city forever and the changes should be the best possible!

[Mantas]

Wow, that futuristic skyline looks awesome and well balanced. Thanks for update :okay: Hope to see some further development of that plan :)

[NorthStar77]

What an exiting project!

The infrastructural challenges with projects like these are huge! Not only water and electricity, but the most important infrastructure that needs to be in place before the developement is finished, is public transport. You already mentioned a tunnel, but are there other plans concerning this? I imagine a tramline from the old-town or from some trainstation would be nice:)

Looking very much forward to see more photos :cool:

[Jeffas]

Thanks, Gatis, for the interesting information! Imo, Kipsala is a right place for the skyscrapers, it really is outside the Oldtown area and would form a nice skyline of its own on the other side of Daugava! It would be even better than in Vilnius where Neris is a bit too narrow to really separate the "two cities"..

I also think that you could have nice highrisers in Mackava district, next to that Stalinist Science Academy skyscraper! No plans about that?

[Gatis]

Yes, Jeffas, there are plans too in Maskavas district... would post it some other day ;)

[John]

Nice to see something is going forward in Kipsala, CrazyKing has provided quite some info about the future of Kipsala, it was supposed to become a highrise district but as I remember there were some problems, but now it's all ok right?

[Jeffas]

Originally posted by Gatis
Yes, Jeffas, there are plans too in Maskavas district... would post it some other day ;)

That would be very interesting! Please, do it!

[Norum]

Are there any plans about Skanstes iela?

[Jarmo K]

This plan sounds superb!!! I'm really thrilled about it! (:

Looking forward to some more information....

[Gatis]

Kipsala was supposed to become a highrise district but as I remember there were some problems, but now it's all ok right?
John, there was problem. It seems to me - Riga City Council was not ready to quick development of highrises there some years ago. Most of planned activities were stopped to elaborate good development plan for this area. There were organised several international tenders to find out the best way for development of this area, public discussions. Still it would take several years to plan everything thoroughly to make something fine, but some projects have received " green light" already now.
Another thing - initially public was quite hostile towards highrises. "Saules akmens" to great extent has changed this opinion to the best, and now public here seems to be waiting for some more highrises.
There are issued the new Riga City building rules. They currently state that height limit in Kipsala is 121 m, but the area behind Kipsala can build higher buildings - have not read how much exactly. It means - there is green light to highrises in Riga. At the same time there would be very high requirements to architecture of these highrises.
Are there any plans about Skanstes iela?
Norum, I have not heard anything new except multifunctional hall, whichi is under construction now, midrise hotel and some shops. I would expect that it would be not highrise area...

[doc]

Maskavas district? i thought it's kind of run down area?
Or that the whole idea -redevelopement?

[Gatis]

As Kipsala redevelopment was widely discussed one year ago, currently there are interesting discussions around Maskavas district (Latgale district) redevelopment.
Here you can see that it has some problems... and some specific values (as team of Russian architects said, it looks like 19th century Moscow... although in Moscow this has not survived anymore):
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/ielas/maskavas01_big.jpg
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/ielas/maskavas02_big.jpg
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/apbuve/udenstornis02_big.jpg
I did not have time to show the results of international seminar, which took place in February. But I plan to do it when I will find time ;)

[Gatis]

One more ridiculously small picture of Kipsala development vision...
http://www.diena.lv/bildes/rig_2403.jpg

[Mantas]

Originally posted by Gatis

One more ridiculously small picture of Kipsala development vision...
http://www.diena.lv/bildes/rig_2403.jpg But a good one :okay:

[Edd]

Great news! The tallest building in that vision looks like some 200+ scraper :eek:.
I think the examples of Tallinn and Vilnius helped Riga to make a final decision ;).

@Jeffas: Not only Neris river but also a big area of land separates the old town of Vilnius and the new city center (although I think you know this fact, but your post does not show this ;))

[Monkey]

Thank you for another interesting and informative thread, Gatis! :) So now the differences among the planning approaches of the three Baltic capitals become clearer: while Vilnius and Tallinn went ahead and started building tall, Riga engaged in a serious long range planning cycle, almost like the "Sleeping Beauty" of the three.

I think it is this long, practically inactive phase that so frustrated our friend CrazyKing. :wave:

But now it's full steam ahead, right? :horse:

It's fortunate that Saules Akmens is such a beautiful building! :happy: Had it been less handsome, Riga might have ruled out more highrises altogether.

[Gatis]

I think the examples of Tallinn and Vilnius helped Riga to make a final decision
and
So now the differences among the planning approaches of the three Baltic capitals become clearer: while Vilnius and Tallinn went ahead and started building tall, Riga engaged in a serious long range planning cycle, almost like the "Sleeping Beauty" of the three.
...I think, there happened something in the middle between these approaches. Of course, looking at Tallinn and Vilnius made to think about some things too.
http://www.realty.lv/rus/img/news/12429224032004135638.jpg
These guys :horse: are on-line finally ;) (Lithuanians could understand it better)

[Mantas]

I've found some video on that ;)
http://www.tv.lv/mconsole.asp?id=706F7A35-ACD3-40B5-BF63-F4E60C6CF780','TVMConsole','width=641,height=512

[Jeffas]

Originally posted by Edd
Great news! The tallest building in that vision looks like some 200+ scraper :eek:.
I think the examples of Tallinn and Vilnius helped Riga to make a final decision ;).

@Jeffas: Not only Neris river but also a big area of land separates the old town of Vilnius and the new city center (although I think you know this fact, but your post does not show this ;))

Agree about the area of land in Vilnius, but still from what I remember the skyscrapers would be further away from the Old Town in Riga. Maybe I'm wrong, let's wait and see ;)

[Monkey]

Thanks for that great video, Mantai! :banana:

And I (cautiously of course ;) ) tend to agree with Jeffas: in Riga the highrises will be farther away from the Old City than in Vilnius. Why? The Daugava River is very wide. :)

[John]

I just took a look at the map, Saules Akmens is not more than 800m away from the old town so in fact not further away than in Vilnius http://www.virtual.lv/maps/baltic500000/riga.htm

[Gatis]

True. Seems it is some 800 m. But it is nearly impossible to get in one picture both Old Riga and Saules akmens. Almost from any position you look to one or to another but impossible to see both at once. Flatness of Riga and the big river create both visual and psychological barrier.
No, no no I do not want to start this discussion about highrises near Old cities. This is useless. And if frankly - I do not think that highrises near historical centres is something completely evil. Old Riga is already surrounded by highrises... and the ones across Daugava would disturb much less than some of the existing ones.

[Oberleutnant]

Gatis, I remember when you created your first Riga developments thread. I read every post you made, though I can't remember whether I posted there anything. Why I'm saying this is that there definetely is at least one Finn out there, who is interested to find out more about Latvian projects. So, in other words, keep up the good work. :)

[Devilution]

Make that two finns! :)

Anyway, the model seems quite impressive even though it´s hard to say about the heights of those towers planned. It seems that Vilnius and Tallinn are getting tough competition from the between :)

This development could make a beautiful skyline seem from the other side of the river. :cool:

[Jeffas]

It seems that Riga mobilises the interest of all our Scando-Baltic community! :D And it should, it is in the centre! :D Thanks, Gatis! ;)

[Mantas]

We have a phrasal here like "Where two beat each other, the third wins!" :D

[Gatis]

Thanks for kind words! This is really pleasing, although this is still only a vision... Riga currently has 6 buildings with at least 20 floors (this is my definition for highrise), and we hope to get three more in coming two years. But for a cluster of highrises we have to wait for some 6 years at least, I think. As we are the last ones in Baltics in this respect, the only thing I hope - this cluster would be something what no one else has.
Time for the next news, and this is complicated to present in an interesting way:

Rebuilding of Maskachka - tough task for future
You may not know it... but Riga has the following historical division - Old City + Boulevards + Centre is one thing. But then there are the historical suburbs - Zemgale, Kurzeme, Northern, Vidzeme and Latgale suburbs.
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/kartes/rigas_karte_big.gif
Each of these districts developed almost as a separate city with its own historical centre etc. Today these historical centres are protected.
The last one in Russian Empire and Soviet time was called Maskavas (Moscow) district, and in local jargon it is just called Maskachka. Today there are widely used both Maskavas and Latgales.

History
This suburb (forstadt) developed already in early middle ages. It was built from wood as in these times in a case of attack these wooden buildings could be quickly burned down and the people were hiding beyond citywall.
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/gravira/gravira.gif
This happened too some times, last time in 1812 - Napoleon war. The Maskachka centre we see today was developed in 1820ies.
The people who were settling there were coming from Russia and Latgale - eastern part of Latvia. When industrialisation started in 1870ies - 1900, there came especially many people. As they were coming from poor country (there was hunger in Latgale then), they were quite modest and poor. Their houses were as simple as possible and they worked the least paid and most difficult works.
This district already then got quite bad image - people were heavily drinking there, there was more criminality. There was also a lot of interesting charity activities, which resulted in high number of churches.
Historically this district always had majority of Russians.


Values
Not many places in the world have preserved such whole old wooden suburbs (Riga has preserved four - also Zemgales, Vidzemes, Kurzemes). In fact I would be happy if you would call one, because I still do not know any other place in the world. Architecture here mostly is simple, but it is something you do not see elsewhere, at least not in these amounts.
Some of churches in Maskachka:
The only oldbelievers church in the world with golden dome, built in Russian Art Nouveau style. There is also active cloister for men:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278499433.jpg
St. Franciscus church, very very impressive inside:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278799433.jpg
Very beautiful and stylish orthodox church, very huge:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278459433.jpg
Another huge orthodox church:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278509433.jpg
Catholic church, the biggest wooden church in Latvia. Today it looks there almost the same, could not find good picture:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278519433.jpg
And many more churches.
There is also preserved the historical network of old streets with characteristic wooden buildings and simple Eccleticism and Art Nouveau masonry buildings:
Old picture of Avotu Street (both beautiful and terrible?):
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278539433.jpg
Maskavas Street:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278569433.jpg
Maskavas Street:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278579433.jpg
Do not know the place:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278589433.jpg
Ludza Street:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278559433.jpg
Ludza Street again:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278549433.jpg
Daugavpils Street:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278469433.jpg
There are many quite interesting industrial monuments too:
Central Market:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278719433.jpg
One of three gas reservoirs - at the beginnig of 20th century gas was used for streetlights etc. One of them to be rebuilt as a gothic rock concert hall:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278729433.jpg
Two water towers. Riga has numerous such watertowers. The nearest one has a very active ghost:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1278739433.jpg
And there are many more interesting things. Also this:
http://www.lszda.lv/fsi/FSI-LV/adrese/LZAVarens.gif

Problems
There are two big problems regarding Maskachka.
No.1. - contingent of people living there. Somehow it has ended up with the situation that the share of narcomans, alkoholics, criminal people is quite high there. Walking in nighttime in Riga in general is quite safe... but not here. What to do with all these people? Would general people like to come and live here?
No.2. - very very bad condition of housing and infrastructure. In Soviet time it was planned to remove this disctrict, and it was done partly. They had some economical reasons to do it, I think. Of course, the houses there were not repaired at all over the last 60 - 70 years. Many houses are abandoned, their owners - in America and not willing to invest there... and just waiting to sue the city if the houses are removed.

Dilemma
Should Maskachka be removed from the Earth surface? The Riga City would have free hands to build somehting comparatively cheap and comfortable here.
Or it is value, which would be shining like a diamond after many millions would be invested?
Would narcomans disappear just because the district would be better?

Neigbours
Maskachka is squeezed between railway and Krasta Street. The last one is an American style shopping 6-lane street with some 35 highend supermarkets and shops, built over the last 5 years. In nighttime it shines in neon and is always full with people. To the southeast - commieblock district Kengarags. To the northwest - Old City. Unfortunately the vicinity of Daugava River is not used yet.

Asking consultations from international community
In the middle of February Riga City invited teams of architects and cityplanners from Germany, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Spain, Italy, Austria, Denmark and Finland to investigate Maskachka and give some consultations, what should be done about it. They worked here for a week. Prize received Austrian architects (Garden City Maskachka), second prize - Finnish. But it is even not that important as all the teams provided much information to think about.
Most teams came up with the proposal that this area should be developed as green apartment + office area. And there should be slow evolution - city should invest in development of infrastructure and this would bring in new people here, willing to renovate and relive it. Here could work also a program of some tax reductions and specific support from the city and state (are we very rich?).
Anyone agreed that city environment here is unique and there is needed large preservation program. Some say that these suburbs are good candidates for UNESCO World Heritage status.
In this picture the grey area is the part of Maskachka, which was discussed in meeting
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1270909433.jpg
One proposal plans to make something like green business zone between Krasta street supermarkets and the old districts
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1270919433.jpg
Proposal to bring in there culture, sports and science. There is already Civil Aviation University (which is closed down unfortunately)
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1270939433.jpg
Public is discussing this issue very much too. Seems, currently there is governing opinion that part of heritage should be preserved but in most parts there should be built something new. Contrary to architects public does not find attractive these simple wooden houses.

What are your thoughts. Does this district look like something valuable to be kept? Or Riga is just too much wavering and it all had to be bulldozed some 50 years ago?

[Mantas]

Raze it! It requires modernizing! :D :D :D

However, thanks for info and photos attached. Seems that same district has stuck few decades back and people just live and degenerate there, thus it need modernizing, modern buildings etc, cos nobody will be able to preserve them for further centuries because of wooden architecture :)

We have some similar districts, but also very opposite looking to each other - Zverynas and Snipiskes. The recent one is now getting a new name The New City Center and many new buildings from all the sides are being built and the newest vision looks at Snipiskes as a most modern cluster in Vilnius.

The other district is Zverynas, that has preserved numerous samples of wooden or other old architecture and in fact it looks very different from all the city of Vilnius. Some new apartment houses are being built or planned there (same SBA tower is going to be built in the corner of Zverynas) and the land cost is the highest in all Vilnius :D

However, wish Riga will do the best :)

[Jarmo K]

Thanks very much, Gatis, for another interesting thread!
Latgale seems to have some really interesting architecture, lots of landmarks that remind us the Soviet times... But in my opinion the Central Market is one of the most ''out of place'' buildings [or a complex of buildings] in Riga. I really hate it.... It just doesn't fit in the city. And if I remember correctly then it should be very near to the Old Town as well (?), which makes it even worse.

What about you, Gatis, what do you think the city should do with this district?

P.S. - I would love to find out more of that haunting watertower... :colgate:

[Jeffas]

Gatis, thanks for your thorough explanations! You really took your time!

From what I can see and remember, Moskachka is quite a huge area, probably even larger than Riga's oldtown or close to that?

Imo, it would be wise not to try to impose one purpose plan on the whole area. What I mean is that this area is both close to the railway station and to the river. I think that it would be a mistake to seek create some prestigious residential area next to the railway as this thing usually does not work out even in the most advanced EU countries. But riverside could be an excellent and attractive place for renovated and newly built wooden mansions.

Some less prospective parts of the district, especially those close to the railway, imo, could be turned down and they should build some big object (stadium, gallery..) or office spaces where railway could be used to meet the needs of public transportation.

These are only my spontaneous thoughts!

[Gatis]

Thanks for your input! :D
Mantaz:
Seems that same district has stuck few decades back and people just live and degenerate there
Such city districts which are stuck back in past, seem to be romantic and charming for tourists, :D if they manage to survive there. I once was driving there around in nighttime with my Danish collegues - although we were in a car, and cars are never attacked there, they felt uneasy, and asked me to move to another district. Degeneration... unfortunately you are right. Sometimes it seems that Maskachka and degeneration are synonims. It is not favelas of Brasil, but I still do not think that anything in Northern Europe is nearer to this...
cos nobody will be able to preserve them for further centuries because of wooden architecture
I would disagree. Many people in Riga are hard working to preserve the wooden heritage, there are many pilotprojects, currently there is under planning reconstruction of whole street (Kalnciema Street). We are serious here about conservation of wooden architecture. Wooden architecture, if treated good, can survive for 1000 years.

Snipiskes is getting new name - New City Centre - unofficially or officially?.. Eh does not matter - if people decide to change names, you can not do anything about it.
Regarding Zverynas - seems, this might be last time to visit this district. I think, have not been there yet.

Jarmo:
ots of landmarks that remind us the Soviet times...
Nooo, not Soviet times. Mostly 19th century
But in my opinion the Central Market is one of the most ''out of place'' buildings [or a complex of buildings] in Riga.
I would agree, at least partly. Central Market is an early version of hypermarket. Then, in 1920ies this concept was something new to the world and there were many international delegations, mostly from US and Europe coming to Riga to learn it. Creation of Central Market eliminated numerous smaller shops in this district. And it architecturally seems to be out of place. Still - it is something a little better than modern hypermarkets. There are earning their profit some 20 000 people - and this alone is good.

What about you, Gatis, what do you think the city should do with this district?
I am conservationist by nature. I think that it has unique values. At the same time I see that it would be not possible to preserve everything there... The best option to me - to select some 10 streets and quartals for complete preservation, and in other quartals - just the valuable buildings. And Riga should take this decision as soon as possible. And afterwards - there should be lovered land tax and property tax. There should be elaborated also entrepeneurship support program - city should provide special support to small enterprises, which deal with arts and handicrafts, as well as education and science business. If this would be the only place in city with such support - then Maskachka has hope.
P.S. - I would love to find out more of that haunting watertower...
I would not say much. Only - the tower is haunted by former worker from 1920ies. There was a nice TV broadcast, including some direct transmissions of haunting. It was impressive.
http://www.i-mantojums.lv/images/objekti/udens_matisa.jpg
Jeffas
Maskachka is much much bigger than Old City. Riga Old city is miserable 12 ha, but Maskachka should be some thousand hectars.
I think that it would be a mistake to seek create some prestigious residential area next to the railway
There still is flying around this crazy idea. Some people here are able to think only about building of high-end apartments... everywhere everyplace. But I am sure in 1 - 2 years this would be over.
But riverside could be an excellent and attractive place for renovated and newly built wooden mansions.
I hope that in this case Riga would make green and public zone along Daugava. We still do not have such park at our biggest river. There is high need for watersports centre in city centre. This seems to be the best place.
Regarding railway - there are flying around ideas for last 50 years to move the railway underground in city centre and make there a belt of parks. Expensive idea...

[doc]

Thanks Gatis the whole thing is very detailed and informative.
I was in this hood in better times and and still didn't understand
that it actually coud be turned into something cozy and attractive .

[Monkey]

Another big Thank You and Bravo to you, Gatis, for a most enlightening and fascinating continuation of this wonderful thread! :okay:

You really present this planning/preservation problem with all its tasks, obligations & challenges extremely well. It brings up so many themes and questions reaching over a broad spectrum of municipal obligations in contemporary society! Like you, I'm very much in favor of preserving as much of the historic substance as possible. :) I realize that this is extremely costly; on the other hand, I believe such funds would be a good investment. Historic architecture is enormously attractive, downright mesmerizing. Once you've lost it, there is no way to ever get it back. All sorts of functions and activities other than just dwellings and small shops can be accommodated in properly restored buildings. Turning the old gas container into a music hall is a very good example of such adaptive reuse. :)

[NorthStar77]

Very very interesting, thank you very much!

Contrary to architects public does not find attractive these simple wooden houses

But they will, once the area is resored. I'm all for preserving! It has been done with wooden neigbourhoods here with great success. Places like Vålerenga, Kampen and Rodeløkka, were once run down, but are now very popular, and priceless parts of town! Destroying them, like the plans were in the 70'ies, would have been a catastrophy!

I realize this is a larger area and the costs of renovating would be extreme, but still, the cost of loosing the area probably can't be measured in Euros. Once it is destroyed, it is lost forever.

[Jeffas]

@Gatis - thanks for your nice explanations! :)

Of course, it would be a very good idea to hide the railway into underground, e.g. like in central Warsaw or Paris, but it does need lots of $$$$!!

I think Riga is not unique in its large wooden area, e.g. we have plenty of such spaces in Kaunas, former turn of the century suburbs that even look similar to your photos, e.g. Vilijampole, Sanciai They used to be the districts of pre-war industrial workers and they are all close to the rivers because the main enterprises were also next to the rivers. Of course, imo Kaunas would not receive the same amount of $$$ and attention as Riga that is the capital of fast groing country! But we've also got some grand plans!..

[Gatis]

Not much time today, thus I would post only this thingie:

Opinion poll in portal DELFI shows support to the highrise district in Kipsala, reaction of other press
http://www.architektura.lv/images/skate/2.jpg

There again have been many articles about Riga skyscrapers in newspapers from last days, here just two:
http://www.delfi.lv/news/national/business/article.php?id=7821167
Opinion poll where participated 4147 people, shows that 54% people think that skyscrapers should be built in Kipsala. 30% are against it and 16% do not care.
I read also comments - you should know that comments in DELFI nearly always are very negative. Many people cry out their Weltschmerz and unfulfilled dreams through criticising anything what the others do.
In this case there were not that many negative comments, mostly positive. The negative ones:
- good place for terror acts, repeated by three different commentators (oh, what a strategic and faresighted thinking?!?);
- fulfillment of ancient cult for fallic symbols. This time the enormous, 40-floor fallic symbols would help to extend the short moral fall of our nation and short falls of individual investors. This is also attempt to show off, how cool we are to others in a most primitive way.
- living and working high in skyscrapers will allow to forget about simple people down there;
- fulfillment of ancient instincts of ants (???);
- there still is missing concept of what is beauty. Such concept is needed before building skyscrapers there. (Please, help him, he is lost in his mind);
- too high buildings at the river are not harmonic, there is needed slow increase of height, like in Manhattan (?);
- new places for suicides;
- skyscrapers - this is thinking of 19th century. Now it is modern to build low buildings;
- skyscrapers are built everywhere, Riga should find something else to suprise the world;
There are posted also three poems about the blessing of one-floor high wooden Riga.

Another portal - "Apollo" - has published an article by popular writer Gundega Repse
http://www.apollo.lv/portal/articles/16441.
She writes her opinions about different actualities in newspaper "Sestdiena" and her most frequent opinion is - "I simply do not like it". So - she supports Riga Council in elaboration of visions, because visions are missing in our country. But the vision of building skyscrapers in Riga brings a feeling of horror to her. In Latvian skyscraper is "debesskraapis" - what means the same skyscraper. So she asks - what the sky has done bad to Latvia, if we are willing to scrape it? Or are we willing to feel Himalaya in center of Riga? Or spitting from 40-floor height seems to be cool? (yeah, this is good idea, it is fine to have intelligent people, who bring in such new ideas :D )
At the end of article she says - in general she likes this vision.
Heh, interesting. In this case nearly all commentars are supporting building of skyscrapers.


I think, you should see from this all that there are no serious objections to skyscrapers here. But the quality of their potential architecture is discussed very much.

[Gatis]

Heh, Mantas, I noticed you comment there too. :) Sorry, I am commenting there with another name - many know me in Latvia

[Mantas]

Originally posted by Gatis

Heh, Mantas, I noticed you comment there too. :) Sorry, I am commenting there with another name - many know me in Latvia Yeah, spammed a little :D What's your nick there?

[Gatis]

Many. I am changing them as somebody starts calling me in my name.

[Mantas]

Originally posted by Gatis

Many. I am changing them as somebody starts calling me in my name. Haha, where do they know you from :lol: ?

[Gatis]

Heh, I am writing to some newspapers and journals about heritage protection, tourism, I am elaborating alternative approach to culture heritage information things and I am known also among environmentalists. Thus my views are sticking out as a needle to people, who are working in this area. Once I wrote with my real name, then it ended up with numerous phone calls to me directly. Better not anymore...

[John]

haha Delfi is a good way to promote your views, our Delfi also helped as to promote pro-skyscraper attitude among Lithuanians, if there's some article about skyscrepers then you may be sure that about 1/3 of all comments (skyscraper articles are usually very popular) are from guys from SSC :lol:

[Gatis]

Thanks my Lithuanian buddies for advertising SSC in Latvian portals! Another Latvian is coming here :)

[Edd]

Originally posted by Gatis

Thanks my Lithuanian buddies for advertising SSC in Latvian portals! Another Latvian is coming here :)
Great! But it isn't enough ;). Maybe you know some other places than delfi.lv and can advertise this page there?

[Jarmo K]

Originally posted by Gatis
Nooo, not Soviet times. Mostly 19th century


:lol: whoops!


Thanks for your informative answers! (:

[Monkey]

Originally posted by Mantaz
Raze it! It requires modernizing! :D :D :D
Sorry, Mantai, but my opinion--like that of NorthStar :)--is exactly the opposite. Such quarters, once properly restored and rehabilitated, become invaluable assets to every city that is willing to invest the funds and time necessary to accomplish this. :okay:

[Gatis]

One more time I return to the plans of Kipsala highrise district development. As there is on-going serious work at Riga City development plan 2006-2016, this plan is going to be used as a foundation for detailed design for this district. But it is still a vision, although well accepted vision with high possibility to be realised over the next 10 - 15 years.

Here below we see the district which was analysed in project of company "Arhis" (www.arhis.lv). It is geographical centre of Riga City. Centrepiece is Kipsala island, which is 3,6 km long. Old City is in the opposite shore of Daugava River, lover right corner of land there.
This map shows the future vision, not the present situation.
Red line encloses the potential business district. Inside this line the building projects should be subject to international tendering with possibility of open public discussion.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607110525.jpg
Transportation scheme. Currently exist three bridges at the lover part of picture. The blue bridge currently is used for transportation, but would be turned into pedestrian bridge. Tunnel at the upper part of the picture had to be under construction already since the beginning of 2004... but the the company which lost the tender, has sued Riga City in court, and this process is on-going for several years already and nothing is happening :( Unfortunately Riga city officials initially had little experience with these huge international tenders...
The red tunnel (second from the upper part) is currently in early planning stage. Southern bridge, which would be started this year, is not visible in this map.
Light blue line shows the proposed new tramline. Btw. Riga this year will start tests of the new tram, produced in Latvia. Unfortunately the design of this tram seems to be industrial secret yet under codename RVR-2002. It is only known that the existing tramlines should be rebuilt to fit this tram, and this year one line would be rebuilt. Until 2008 there should be 63 of these new trams running in Riga. Hope, they would do it in reality.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607810525.jpg
This is the most attractive part of this project: it is planned to unite the two historical parks with a kind of "air gardens". The dark green areas are older historical parks, the light green - grasslands and flowerbeds with lowfloor buildings, but the green with bright-green around - the rised gardens above the transportation routes.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607910525.jpg
Here you see it in spatial projection:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14597410525.jpg
This is analyse of future skyline (visual impact of highrises - what they will hide etc.) for this part of city from different viewpoints.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607210525.jpg
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607310525.jpg
This is structural anaylse of the planned skyline. Middle view - view from southern part of Old City over Daugava. Lover part - view from passenger ferry terminal. Saules akmens is well seen in lover view - the separate building standng nearest to Vantis suspension bridge.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607610525.jpg
View from middle part of Old City over Daugava river:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607510525.jpg
View from something like St.Peters church view platform:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607410525.jpg
Two other views from above:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607710525.jpg
Hope, you like it. And I hope - it would be realised at least per 20% :)

[John]

That is truly impressive :okay:, in fact this seems to be very similar to Vilnius Right Bank development, even the height of projected skyline is quite similar. Saules Akmens looks pretty small comparing with other possible buildings.

[Monkey]

Wow, Gatis! That's an enormous amount of information to absorb! :eek: Thank you for giving us the latest news, though! :)

What upsets me is that arvis.lv seems to have been given some power and control over the development of that quarter. :( A quick glance at their web site shows almost nothing but boring, roofless, characterless glass & steel boxes! :rant: That's a shame, and the selection of this company, I'm afraid, bodes ill for the future of Riga's Kipsala district that has so much potential! :cry:

Too bad also about that tunnel! Instead of the work progressing, they're :bash:ing each other over it?

But :okay: on the new trams & the tram line! :)

Also good news: the parks & open green spaces! :banana:

Finally: eternal applause to Riga for the Vantis Bridge! :cheers1:

[Gatis]

Whose Homepage - "Arhis" has been choosen as a company which collects together the results of the last year competitions and congresses about the development of Kipsala. Here is presented not their work but the work of hundreds of architects from different countries. "Arhis" does not have any specific power and control over this area, this was just a single, already completed contract for them to assist City Council in the planning work. Btw. currently in Riga City Council is presented this work and any citizen can give his proposals to City Council.
Regarding the other works of Arhis (I hate those Flash intros in homepages) ... some are bad
Scandinavian Tobacco (but tobacco always is bad, isn't it?)
http://www.arhis.lv/data/projects/sabiedriskas/house%20of%20prince/bilde2.550.260.jpg
http://www.arhis.lv/data/projects/sabiedriskas/house%20of%20prince/bilde4%20600.220.jpg

And some I like:
Riga airport passenger terminal:
http://www.arhis.lv/data/projects/sabiedriskas/05_lido/bilde5-1-500.jpg
http://www.arhis.lv/data/projects/sabiedriskas/01_lidosta/bilde1.jpg

Bridge news

Northern tunel:
The winner for design and technical supervision is German company Obermayer. The expected costs - 230 mio EUR. Dutch company, which had cheaper bid but did not comply with some vaguely defined tender rules, has sued Riga City, and thus the detailed design works have not started.
Anyway this year it is expected that should start design of access roads to the Northern tunel. If the court case will end in June this year, design works for the tunel itself would start also this year.
Southern bridge - full costs are above 200 mio EUR. Initially it was planned to build it after the Northern tunel, but the court case has changed the plans of Riga City. A week ago there was concluded agreement about the building of this bridge, in May would start preparations and the first concrete would be laid in August this year. In this tender won an consortium of Latvian companies, and happily no one has been sued so far.
Access roads for the Southern bridge would be very complex. In eastern bank there would be needed long estacades and three level crossings, in western bank - quite long estacades.
In 2005. there should be ready fundament of the bridge.
Bridge itself should be ready in 2007, but the access roads - until 2012.
Length of the bridge itself - 803 meters, width - 32 m. 6 lines for cars, 2 lines for bycycles and 2 - for pedestrians. The colour would not be orange as in this picture!
http://www.arhitektonika.lv/www_ARHITEKTONIKA/pix/tilts_2.jpg

[NorthStar77]

These plans rock!! If this skyline gets built according to plan, it will awesome! New tramline and pedestrian bridge is good news :)

But about those northernmost buildings, arent they(and the street-pattern) somewhat repetetive and boring? Well, it's just conseptual scetches, so I imagine the final projects will look different:)

[Oberleutnant]

http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607410525.jpg :okay:

If the final thing is going to look anything like this, it will definetely be the most aesthetically pleasing skylines in our region. Right now the layout of high-rises in Talinn and Vilnius is somewhat "chaotic", though I suppose this isn't a very fair comparison, because both cities are still developing their clusters, while these visionary renders of Kipsala show the final product.

[Mantas]

http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/14607410525.jpg :okay:

If the final thing is going to look anything like this, it will definetely be the most aesthetically pleasing skylines in our region. Right now the layout of high-rises in Talinn and Vilnius is somewhat "chaotic", though I suppose this isn't a very fair comparison, because both cities are still developing their clusters, while these visionary renders of Kipsala show the final product.
Nice visions indeed :yes:

We will soon get some info and LOTS of rendering and videos from development department on development of NCC :D

[Monkey]

Whose Homepage - "Arhis" has been choosen as a company which collects together the results of the last year competitions and congresses about the development of Kipsala. Here is presented not their work but the work of hundreds of architects from different countries. "Arhis" does not have any specific power and control over this area, this was just a single, already completed contract for them to assist City Council in the planning work. Btw. currently in Riga City Council is presented this work and any citizen can give his proposals to City Council.

Ah, thanks, Gatis--I misunderstood you a bit. :dunno: Yet I think my point is still valid: Arhis, judging from their oeuvre, is a company that favors boxes. So in their transmission & presentation of the hundreds of proposals I suspect they would secretly favor box designs. ;)

[boogy]

wow! this thread is like THE MOST intresting in the whole S&B forum! big thanks for sharing your information with us ;)

[Talisker]

Well I'm amazed. I rememebr crazyking going on about this, nearly two years ago, but I'd never dreamt it could turn out like this. The decision to create a carefully planned skyscraper district will pay dividends, I'm sure. Sorry for being lazy and not reading all the tect for the thread, but could someone tell me if this is all mied use, or primarily office space?

[Gatis]

xapbpoh - this highrise district is planned to be of mixed use. The Kipsala district would be planned in a such way as to make it lively throughout the day.
Whose Homepage - "Arhis" loves boxes definitely. I think, they are good example of this crazy obsession of many our architects with the minimalism architecture. I hope that sooner or later there would come up a group of architects who would find interest in bionic architecture or something else to make our modern architecture more diverse. OK, "Saules akmens" already is something like progress - it is funny to read the critics of those die-hard boxmasters, who are laughing at the shape of "Saules akmens".
The most interesting SBA tower in Vilnius may change some minds also here, I hope. It is very good also for us that our neighbours Lithuanians build it.
In total - I definitely do not think that "Arhis" would have some power over Kipsala future development. Even if they have made a model with a lot of small boxes of different sizes - in reality each building would be designed by a different company and also the development of the whole district would see many changes until it is finally approved.

But today I would tell you about:

UNESCO World Heritage monument - Riga centre detailed development plan is elaborated, public discussion started
The Historic Centre of Riga (see UNESCO Webpage (http://whc.unesco.org/sites/852.htm)) has been enlisted as World Heritage site since 1997.
http://www.rvc.lv/images/upload/RVC_kopuma.jpg
It occupies only 1,43% of total area of city - 438,3 ha. It has also buffering zone with numerous valuable monuments of architecture - 1574,2 ha.
In this picture you see those 438 ha - UNESCO World Heritage site.
http://www.rvc.lv/images/upload/rvc24b_labots_500.PNG
Until now this area is also the business, government, entertainment and to great extent - living zone. And it is experiencing enormous pressure from the developers. (We hope that Kipsala development plans would take away this pressure to great extent) Until now there has not been elaborated exact legislation - what is aloud and what is not - for each separate house, each quartal, whole area. When developer is coming for building permit at State Heritage Inspection and Riga City Architecture Board, the authorities have tough job - to evaluate what could be done and what not. Some times it ends with simple "I do not like your idea", some other times it has ended with loud bribery cases - if the house costs 25 mio EUR and the only "problem" is civil servant, who does not allow you to place your belowed plastic windows in that Art Nouveau house, you just try to bribe him with some 10 000 EUR or even up to 200 000 EUR. All this ended with moratorium on new buildings and most reconstruction activities in April 2002.
Up to now there has been elaborated rather chaotic and weak legislation to protect our architectonic values. But now it will change.
Since April 2002 there is working specific unit of Riga City Council (their Webpage (http://www.rvc.lv/) - only in Latvian). Now they have prepared extremely detailed development plan for those 438,3 ha. There has been assessed nearly every room in every house, every tree, calculated transportation flows in each street, made hundreds of bigger and smaller opinion polls, numerous public campaigns. And now there is prepared huge pack of documents outlining everything - building rules for each house and for whole area, exact places for planting new trees etc. Many thousands of pages.
Since yesterday in Riga City Council everyone can look at this draft plan and comment on it.
http://www.realty.lv/lat/img/news/82542706042004093807.jpg
I had only 30 min time yesterday, and just took photos of some plans - these photos are at home now.
Plan envisages also removal and replacing of some 75 buildings from the historical centre - these are built in Soviet time and in "new" times. In addition to the existing 5 underground car parking places there are outlined huge parking places under many streets. Developers have managed to promote also numerous open spaces and there is also quite a lot of place for modern lowrise architecture. There have been prepared also exact rules regarding the materials to be used for building, door handles, flagstaffs, door codes, materials used for street cover, etc. etc. Daugava river coastline will change very much - the traffic here would be closed and there would be organised huge open, green area.
http://www.lunaparks.com/regate_jura/Images/Previews/Preview9.jpg
Please look at some rather old 360degree panoramas here (http://www.incomworld.com/ablatvia.htm)
We hope that this plan would be accepted in July this year and the moratorium on building activities in historical centre will end then.
And here you see how Daugava coastline was used for some public gatherings in 1991.
http://www.lunaparks.com/tautavalsts/Images/Previews/Preview85.jpg
OK, I know that this might be a little boring, but it is extremely important here.

[Edd]

It's great to see that the plans of Vilnius makes a big influence not only to the other cities inside Lithuania but also - to the cities outside Lithuania. Actually it's very clever to learn something from the other cities and use that information to create something even better. I really like all those projects in Riga and I hope that they'll be realised :okay:.

[Mantas]

Yeah, Riga finally made it, now it must turn to building :okay:

[Gatis]

It's great to see that the plans of Vilnius makes a big influence not only to the other cities inside Lithuania but also - to the cities outside Lithuania.
It is hard to say whether plans of Vilnius have affected planning in Riga much. If yes - then not in significant amount. At least here nobody talks much about Vilnius (I have asked some spatial planners), except for some things, and these are the following: a) Private-Public Partnership model for conservation and development of Vilnius Old City - this really is learnt from Vilnius and in Riga there is under development test model of this approach in preservation programme of wooden heritage in Kalnciema Street, b) good marketing of city development - f.e. in recent exhibition in Cannes Riga was bleak and boring next to Vilnius although the real development plans seem to be of similar scale. This weak presentation of Riga was a local scandal in our mass-media.
Unfortunately nobody speaks in Riga about the SBA building in Vilnius yet. If you ask my opinion - this highrise may be worth more than the other skyscrapers of Vilnius together ;) Worth more in sense of positive impact on thinking of architects, cityplanners and developers. I personally think that the size of the building in meters... well, it is interesting. But much more important is qualitative leap into something new... and ability to multiply and increase this new experience.
Back to Riga news:

Company "Voldemars" says being serious about building Smilsu pulkstenis
In recent interview to most popular Riga City newspaper "Rīgas Balss" executive director of company "Voldemars" Ltd. Mr. Dmitrij Nikitin says: in this year (2004) not far from the new business centre "Valdo" there would be started construction of the next office building - "Smilsu pulkstenis", which would be more than 30-floors high. This would be A-class office space building, most of the premises would be used by a unnamed bank.

If you ask my opinion, then please:
- this does not sound serious yet to me. Why he does not name the exact No. of floors?
- the preliminary design of the building is weird (I can not find the picture, but - it is like huge hourglass). This part of Riga is not that valuable in sense of architecturally beautiful buildings... but 30floors high weirdo leaves huuuge impact to wide area.
- why the hell city allows to spread the highrises around Riga like loose teeth? Why not in cluster?

Lets see what will happen. This is rather far from the center and there is no detailed plan for this part of city ready - may be this is the reason why this might go through...

[Gatis]

Meanwhile you may look at the completed 9-floor A-class office building "Valdo" - nothing that interesting though. Although looks fine in evenings, when lights are on inside the building:
http://www.valdo.lv/gallery/photos/gal_155.JPG
http://www.valdo.lv/gallery/photos/gal_152.JPG
http://www.valdo.lv/gallery/photos/gal_158.JPG
http://www.valdo.lv/gallery/photos/gal_162.JPG

[Vaidas]

Wow those are some cool reflections :cool: I especially like the last pic with the building in the middle of autumn trees :eek:

[Oberleutnant]

Valdo looks shagadellic enough to my eyes!

[John]

Interesting building, I kinda like it :)

btw, wasn't it built by some Lithuanian company or smth?

[Monkey]

O my, Gatis! Once again you have have showered us with an enormous amount of information about planning and building in Riga. :okay:

I guess it's a good thing that such detailed guidelines for the Historic District were developed--amazing! :eek: I hope that these rules will be enforced. On the other hand, I'm also worried that such tight restrictions might scare people off, so that the desired and necessary restoration work may happen veryy slowly. :(

And that hourglass building ... you're right, it looked highly unusual when CrazyKing first showed it to us long ago. :eek: Your account makes the Voldemars project appear very vague indeed.

Of course I agree with you that Riga should designate an area for highrises rather than permit them to pop up here and there "like loose teeth!" :laugh:

Finally: Valdo may be neither tall nor a particular beauty, but the reflection effects are magnificent! :banana:

[boogy]

glassy :)~ :cool:

[Edd]

"Valdo" was built by Lithuanian construction company or belongs to some Lithuanian company. I don't really remember but there was an article about it in Lithuanian newspaper.

"Smilsu pulkstenis" is a great building - at least it has interesting shape. Maybe it's not that bad that it'll be built in a distance from other high-rises. Maybe Riga will have few clusters in the future? E.g. there will be about four clusters of high-rises in Vilnius: Bussiness triangle, NCC, the area around Press House and the area around Hanner building. I don't think that it's bad. Different areas of the cities has to be developed - I don't really like the idea of the city where only one place is developed. Ofcourse it'll be not very good if "Smilsu pulkstenis" will be lonely.

[Gatis]

Company "Voldemars" has been established in 1992 in Riga. They established food products line "Valdo" and since 2002 are active also in immobilities area. They have decided to be the developers of area around the newly built Southern Bridge - Smilsu pulkstens would be close to this bridge.
In 1999 "Voldemars" established daughter company in Lithuania - "Valdo Prekyba" and a lot of their turnover really is done in Lithuania. But I can not find who built "Valdo" business centre...

[Mantas]

Valdo seemed a nice building to me.

But that Hourglass project. Firstly, when I the rendering, really liked it. But now I think, that it is going to look like a chimney of nuclear plant, especially from distance. Hopely, they will do something about it ;)

[Edd]

I don't think that "Smilsu pulkstenis" will look like a chimney :). As far as I remember it looks exactly like a sandclock and I like it - I think it's mutch better than some usual box.

@Gatis: Then maybe Lithuanian company built it or maybe "Voldemars" belongs to Lithuanians - I don't remember exactly and it's not really imoprtant.

[Gatis]

"Parkhaus" Ltd. has prepared building site and the construction of two 22-floor apartment houses in Imanta will start in coming weeks
OK, I have been talking about these before, but now things become more clear.
http://www.realty.lv/rus/img/news/18111513042004090034.jpg
In October 2005 in Anninmuizas blvd. there should be ready two such 22-floor living apartments, built by developers "Parkhaus".
The costs - at least 10 mio EUR for both - thus it is nothing that high-end.
What is Imanta? - This is commieblock district in Pardaugava, western part of Riga, some 4 km from the center. It definitely is not nice, although some commieblocks have been rebuilt, new supermarkets etc. have been built as well. But this district has got nice public transportation, including tram line.
What is "Parkhaus" - it is joint Russian - Latvian investment company, established in March 2003. The design of the house has been elaborated by architects bureau "Silis, Zabers & Klava".
After these two houses there definitely would be built some more of the same design, at least two. Company has purchased 10 ha of land, which is enough for building even 18 such houses, but they would look what is the market situation later. They also would investigate other districts of Riga for developing similar projects.
Next to their land in May would start building of 5 17-floor apartments.

[Mantas]

Great news :okay: The buiding design is quite ok :yes:

[Jarmo K]

nice!

[Gatis]

http://www.realty.lv/rus/img/news/78992826042004090431.jpg
Building of five 17-floor apartment houses in Anninmuizas Blvd. starts

Nothing that impressive but though... As last week there started construction works of two Parkhaus 22-floor apartment houses, this week there wqas started construction of the first of five 17-floor apartment houses on the other side of the street. Investor - VestaBalt, local company.
The first highrise would be ready in June 2005. These 17-floor houses would be of somewhat lover rate than the rather high-end apartments of Parkhaus. But investors promise that both the project and also the quality would be considerably better that the design of neighbouring Soviet time 17-floor buildings, which are not that bad either.
In a year Riga will have the second highrise district. And here I can assure you - no damage to the landscape would be done - just a commieblock district.

[Gatis]

"New Old City" waiting for approval of development plan of Riga Historical Centre

Eastern part of Riga Old City now looks very bad... Many ancient houses are collapsing and there are also numerous empty spaces - scars of bombing.
Since year 2000 several companies (local company) are purchasing here land and elaborating design for the "New Old City", which would include 14 buildings.
Recently all the land was purchased from the other companies by a local company "Citra". The moratorium on construction in Riga historical center still does not allow to elaborate design but it gives also time to understand the best way to develop the project.
It is planned to invest in the "New Old City" more than 40 mio EUR.
In general the upper floors of the buildings would be apartments, ground floors - shops, second floor - offices. One of the buildings - hotel.
Time schedule will depend on final results of Riga Historical Center Development plan.

[Monkey]

"Parkhaus" ... what do they mean by that anyway? :?

To me there is a sort of double entendre. ;) It could either mean Park as in a beautiful landscaped area, both small or large :okay:, OR it could mean a multi-story parking garage building :down: The first concept of "Parkhaus" is inspiring while the second one is depressing.

And they're going to dump FIVE of those improved commieblock type apartment buildings onto Anninmuizas Boulevard? Hhmmmm ...

Btw, this naming of buildings is very interesting. :) Farther to the west, for instance in Austria, the Netherlands & Germany, buildings tend to have English names like Millenium Tower and the like. In Riga the new Parkhaus project bears a German name ... long live internationalism! :okay:

[Gatis]

Why the name is Parkhaus? Do not know... It is just a name of company, not houses. Some (quite many) businessman here think that their business sounds more serious if it has got some foreign name. Stupid...
I am not better myself. "New Old City" further on could be called here - "Jauna vecpilseta" (Jaunā vecpilsēta) - thats how it is called in reality.
And the five commieblocks - comparing to the other commieblocks there, in Anninmuizas Blvd. the new ones will look like jevels. The picture does not show it - but in reality they would be made of red brick. Like these, who stand on Anninmuizas Blvd. already:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1034288012.jpg

[Monkey]

Ha, Gatis! Yes, it's strange: people do seem to go for foreign-sounding things, don't they. ;)

And I'm practically elated to hear that the medium for these new buildings is going to be the traditional red bricks! :okay:

[Gatis]

In Lucavsala proposed buildings up to 26 floors high
"Sala" in Latvian - "island". You have heard something about highrises in Kipsala. But today investment company "Merks" has announced its plans to develop highrise district on another island - Lucavsala.
This island in Daugava River is bigger than Kipsala. Here you see it in lover right part of map (blue arrows do not mean anything)
- Lucavsala is a bit rounded, coloured in blue-green colour. The long island next to it - Zakusala - has got 22floor TV centre and 368 m high TV tower on it.
http://www.lame.lv/riga_map.gif
I like this picture ;) In background - Lucavsala.
http://www.laivas.lv/lv/pasakumi/lucav2002galerija/pic/Peldetaji2.jpg
It is crossed by Salu tilts - 3,5 km long 6-lane bridge, currently looking quite bad and always with traffic jam.
http://www.latvijas-tilti.lv/images/foto5.jpg
"Merks" has purchased major part of Lucavsala. The plans are the following - to develop a park between Salu tilts and the first 9-floor office towers - with apartments on upper floor. Behind these offices will start higher buildings - 4 round towers, the highest of them - 26 floors. Among these buildings would be located several public buildings including exhibition hall, shops, kindergarden. It is planned to use much glass, light colours. 26-floor tower would have cafe and club in upper floor. Middle part of Lucavsala would be developed as a living zone with numerous smaller houses.
Currently Lucavsala is covered with meadows and small, ugly gardens, some nice private houses. There are no public buildings, and the only other values it has got - small park with two noble trees (on lindentree has got 6,5 m in circumference and is really beautiful) and nice Art Nouveau monument for Russian soldiers fallen here in 1812, but erected in 1912 - under these trees. I am sure that this park and monument would be intact, as it is protected.
_
Riga City Council is sceptical and critical about these plans. There is no detailed development plan for Lucavsala elaborated, but the initial plans envisaged to develop here wide green area. City Council is afraid that each company owning its land wants to build its own city without a holistic view on whole Riga City.
Several architects questioned said that they are not that much concerned about the height of the buildings but about the prinicples of selecting the architectural solution.
My own opinion - city should not hurry with this. Lucavsala is very interesting area near to centrum where it is still possible to develop anything. This could be highrises as well - but these should be damn good looking highrises, of course. Current vision provided by "Merks" still is a vision of separate company willing to invest into something profitable. Seems, Riga city was too slow - they had to be the first to provide their vision, before commercial companies do it.

[Gatis]

"Centra terminals" ready to invest in Riga bus terminal 50 mio EUR

For some time Riga City is looking for investors in Riga city bus terminal. Current bus terminal is ready to cover part of the expenses, but still can not afford whole costs as it is extremely complex project - already now part of bus station is located over water, and the traffic and logistics are located in several levels.
It is not in bad condition - bus station has been just reconstructed. But there is not enough place and bad access roads, as well some unused business opportunities. Thus the city wants to have something better here.
http://www.autoosta.lv/en/index_en.htm - their homepage.
Here you see map of that location - bus tour company "Eurolines" has got their office there too. As you see there is railway next to bus station, Old City across the railway and 13janvara Street, Central Market neighbouring to the south-east, railway station - neighbouring to the north-east.
http://www.eurolines.lv/pietur222/riga/autoosta.gif
First investment proposal some days ago came from joint Latvian - Finnish company "Centra terminals". They propose to built one underground floor like car parking, ground floor and first floor - bus stations for 50 buses, upper three floors - shops, sports centres, hotel etc. There is supposed to built several pedestrian tunnels to Old City, railway station. Riga City Council is a bit sceptical about the plan of "Centra terminals" to build a building on Old Riga side of railway, the access roads should be a bit better planned too.

[John]

That's interesting news from Riga, I'd like to see some rendering of that 26 storey Lucavsala tower to judge the design (is it prepared already?). And I think it's a real good place for highrises - good distance from the old-town and still close enough to the city center and that wide Krasta Avenue with all kinds of business enterprises. I've been in the place near Salu Bridge and Krasta Avenue intersection and honestly it wasn't the nicest place in Riga ;) so developments like this could make a positive effect to the general appearance of the area.

[CrazyKing]

There was another company that planned a 22 storey (dunno exactly) hotel on Lucavsala, I read that a few months ago... :D

[Gatis]

Another bad part of Old City to be rebuilt in 2004 - 2005, glass covered street planned
Not long ago I wrote about the plans of company Citra to rebuild part of Old Rigas, which looks bad. We are still waiting for the design of their intents.
But immobilities company Linstow already for some years is preparing rebuilding project for another quartal in Old City of Riga.
Linstow owns supermarket "Centrs" next to the quartal to be rebuilt.
Here you see the rendered proposal - looking from St. Peters church, 74 m height.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/1893645123.jpg
The proposed new "Galereja Centrs" - the black-yellow building in the middle, behind the red St. George (Sv. Jura) church. The green roof behind it - existing supermarket "Centrs".
Currently this quartal really is one of the worst in Old Riga - here are located bad looking Soviet time buildings from 1960ies - believe me - without any architectural value.
It is planned also to cover with glass the street between both Linstow properties - Ridzene Street. This street will have climate control, would be open for whole day and night.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/1893655123.jpg
Total costs - 22 mio EUR. Area - 30 000 m2. 5 floors. Use: cafe, restaurants, trade, sports centres, culture (as always). It is planned also to reconstruct some medieval buildings in these quartals, which are near to collapse now.
It is planned to start the construction in Nov-Dec 2004, to complete in one year.

[Mantas]

Well, thanks for the great update :okay:

[Gatis]

Finally one miserably small picture of planned highrise in Lucavsala. Developes - Merks, architect "Postform projects Riga". Seems that the architects do not have Webpage :(
The dominating road - Salu bridge.
http://www.bb.lv/att/1/2703/29558.jpg

[Dziki REX]

I like this way of thinking. It looks that Riga have great ideas how to rebuild their old city in modern architecture. What a shame that in my city some people couldn’t understand that. They should to see that project.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/1893645123.jpg

[DocentX]

Riga is indeed amazing city :) :cheers:

[Jeffas]

@Gatis - thanx, that building looks cool! Though maybe slightly too big for the old town (or maybe not, will see when it gets built!) What buildings were originally in that place before the commies? I would prefer that everything nice that stood before the war gets rebuild!

One thing that I cannot quite understand - where exactly in the Old Town that thing will be located? It seems like the Opera building is close. Is it behind that (pretty ugly, sorry..) modern two-floor steel construction next to the Riga universal store? A bit confused!

[Gatis]

Jeffas, "Galerija Centrs" is behind that ugly building. You see that ugly joke in picture, right side.
Before Soviet time there were standing medieval buildings. But somehow after rebuilding of Melngalvju nams and City Council the dominant opinion is - rebuilding of old buildings is not a good style anymore.
The proposal of "Galerija Centrs" btw envisages reconstruction of several medieval and 19th century buildings too - they stand in the left side of the picture.
"Galerija Centrs" is designed by architect whom I know personally - we together acted earlier in Environmental Protection Club when protecting Old Town from too modern architecture. Still you see that he himself is modernist in his heart :)
__
"Galerija Centrs" was approved after very very hot and long debates in Riga Historical Centre commission (and there were many hot debates for years before it). Btw. Estonian representative in this commission was very much against this project - mainly due to the glass covered street. I respect his position ver much... But that's how it is - any bigger project requires compromises...

[Gatis]

Kipsala highrise plans supported by Riga citizens
Riga City Council asked the citizens to express their opinion about the plans to turn part of Kipsala in higrise district with the buildings with up to 40 floors, rised gardens, tunnels.
There have been received 151 written comments. In 140 comments this idea in general is supported. Main objections (included also in positive answers) -
- traffic should be planned very well to decrease the current traffic jams.
The current owners of the land and the entrepeneurs active here now are worried about the expected changes - they most likely would be forced to move the industrial production elsewhere. (There are some old factories, which are slowly renovated)
Next step - Riga City Development Department prepares the first revised detailed design of Kipsala development and it would be discussed once again.
Slow? May be... I hope that at least this would be something qualitative.

[Jeffas]

Jeffas, "Galerija Centrs" is behind that ugly building. You see that ugly joke in picture, right side.
Before Soviet time there were standing medieval buildings. But somehow after rebuilding of Melngalvju nams and City Council the dominant opinion is - rebuilding of old buildings is not a good style anymore.
The proposal of "Galerija Centrs" btw envisages reconstruction of several medieval and 19th century buildings too - they stand in the left side of the picture.
"Galerija Centrs" is designed by architect whom I know personally - we together acted earlier in Environmental Protection Club when protecting Old Town from too modern architecture. Still you see that he himself is modernist in his heart :)
__
"Galerija Centrs" was approved after very very hot and long debates in Riga Historical Centre commission (and there were many hot debates for years before it). Btw. Estonian representative in this commission was very much against this project - mainly due to the glass covered street. I respect his position ver much... But that's how it is - any bigger project requires compromises...

@ Gatis - I really like your professional insights into Riga development! I wonder how come the opinions in the City Council towards rebuilding of old buildings changed? Melngalvu nams seems to have been quite a success in that respect! Maybe this is because of that troublesome project of rebuilding the City Hall (meaning the financial side of it!), but still architecturally it is a rather successful solution, isn't it? I am a bit less positive about that modern building with Nijole fur saloon between Melngalvu nams and the Ciy Hall.... But what about public/political opinion? It would be very interesting to know!

To me that Galerija Centrs is slightly too massive for the Old Town area though you already have many massive buildings there like Riga universal store, Hotel Latvia etc... So maybe it only adds to the "metropolitan" flavour of the city! Not sure yet! No plans to demolish that steel two-floor "whatever"? This is what public should be more opposed to than rebuilding the medieval silhouet of the old city, imo! :)

[Gatis]

Jeffas, it is the public not City Council, which is opposed against the rebuilding of old buildings.
It was around 1999 when several architects and some more intelligence people created the term (no, it exists for long time, but the rised it again) - "architecture of the government". This is applied to expensive, ornamented (or very high what is another analogue of prestige) and still low class architecture. Public started to believe the rebuilding of ancient architecture is loss of money and looking backwards... and that these buildings are simply... ugly.
This is very controversial issue. If one agency makes here opinion poll then public says: "We want only modern architecture, no more Disneyland". Riga Historical Centre group made another opinion poll which shows that the most belowed building in Old City is... Melngalvju nams and the worst - that ugly joke.
City Hall by the ruling clicque of architects has been labeled as "very bad, low class architecture" and now anyone is ashamed to say something good about it. Some politicians have "burned" on these buildings and now nobody wants to repeat rebuilding somewhere else. Initial plans were to rebuild whole quartal like it was before 1940ies - but now nobody has nuts to do it or aloow it - that would be political suicide. My comments in Internet that rebuilding as such could be good and Melngalvju nams is cool are met with very fierce aggression.
_
I think that architecture in Latvia is in very deep and prolonged identity crisis. Rebuilding is bad... postmodern is bad... minimalism is bad (mostly it is bad!!!)... architecture of Saules akmens according to majority of architects is cheap and terribly bad "following to quick-rich Arab scheichs architecture"... and so on and so on...
Or may be it is just part of Latvian identity - to fight with anything we create ourselves and then give it away to somebody else from abroad (like the huge battle against local supermarkets in middle 1990ies?) I personally am fed up with this attitude.

[Jeffas]

Gatis, it is really amazing how the pubic opinion and political moods work! Starting with my pesonal position - I would like to rebuild everything that is in general possible to rebuild, probably with modern interiors, because it will never be a Disneyland in Riga or Vilnius or whereever, if these buildings stood there, they were part of local culture and cityscape! (of course, there can be examples not worth rebuilding, but they are more an exception than a rule!) Unless the later urban development specifically planned some other urban spaces that would make little sense to destroy and the old buildings would be "out of touch" (e.g. the square around Riga Dom or Vokieciu street in Vilnius)

As for the Riga City Council, I have not been inside, but from the outside it looks perfectly fine - much much better than these Stalinist buildings before! And that's the former heart of the city that you definetely need to restore (it looks so beautiful in the old photos, something like Brussels Grotte Markt!) and raus with that communist "black box" museum of Occupation.. ;)

Well, I've been inside Melngalvju house (had a diplomatic banquet, hehe!) and this rebuilt rococco looks a bit pretentious nowadays, but I still think we need more time to reappreciate something that got rebuilt so recently...

Your examples show how important for the public and political opinion (would not draw such a clear line between the two!) and later policies are the FIRST projects that get realised and the general opinions about them - are they considered success of a failure. And often the first examples are better than the ones that follow!.. For example, the first Vilnius "skyscraper" the green Hanner was generally considered a success (almost heard no negative opinions about it!) what "emotionally" opened doors to the skyscraper clusters like "Europa". I wonder what the reaction will follow to the rebuilt Ruler's Palace (the first major object in Vilnius to be rebuilt!) - will it stop the rebuilding of other Old Town places (e.g. former Jewish quarters) or give them an extra push? I think more of the first scenario - it will hide the Gediminas castle from many traditional view points that people already got used to for decades!.. Can be quite a shock to the public no matter how beautiful the facade of the palace will be ;)

It is a pity that such nihilist moods prevail in Riga Council, but most of our countries face certain prematurity syndroms... however, with such an approach Vilnius would not have its Oldtown built by/copied from Italians, while Riga would be impoverished without its Flemmish Rennaissance or rather Viennese Art Nouveau!.. Let's just be Europeans :grouphug:

P.S. "We all do a lot of feeling and mistake it for thinking"/ Mark Twain

[Gatis]

Hotel Reval Latvia and Ministry of Agriculture will have decreased height in future
The development plan of Riga City Historical centre envisages the following:
Hotel Reval Latvia (95m and 27 floors, 1976) and Ministry of Agriculture (92 m, 26 floors, 1976) are too close to the historical centre.
Here you see both of them - Ministry of Agriculture is nearer. In fact Ministry of Agriculture is INSIDE the Old Town.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1037808012.jpg
They can be used until 2025 and then there should be elaborated rebuilding design to decrease their height until the height allowed in these parts of city, architecture should be approved by the Commission of Riga Historical Centre. The same fate would refer to all the other modern buildings inside the historical centre, including the brand new "Stockman" and "Forum Cinemas"

[Gatis]

Eastern Magistral to be built until 2012
It was started in 1963... and would be completed not earlier than in 2012. Eastern Magistral would be an mostly elevated speedway for traffic going into the eastern part of Riga harbour.
http://www.realty.lv/rus/img/news/57699217052004092617.jpg
Some parts of it have been built, including several elevated bridges over the streets and railway. The costs to complete it - 120 mio EUR.
Although the technical design tryed to avoid it as far as possible, there would be needed to remove some 40 - 50 houses, a lot of other infrastructure elements should be rebuilt.
This should be the first speedway way to be built in Riga in nearest future, although it is planned to develop a whole system of them, includung several new bridges and tunnels.

[Gatis]

Historical caffe proposed to be rebuilt on Bastejkalns, Riga Boulevards
Bastejkalns is artificial hill, created in 19th century from the earth of the former city fortifications. Now it is located in the middle of everything what is the nicest in Riga - between the Old City, Centre and in middle of Boulevards.
In 1887 there was fine two floor caffe built on top, in Ecclecticism style. It was destroyed in World War II.
Nowadays the top of this hill is overgrown with huge, nice trees and it is not possible to see much from it.
Here you see the basement of that hill (picture taken before the restoration of the park in 2000):
http://www.ailab.lv/Riga/R01/b47.jpg
The proposal is to make not exact copy of the building :( but somtehing similar.
Riga City Council and Historical Centre commission should decide now... lets see

[Jeffas]

@Gatis - always great to hear your news!

As for the decreased height of Hotel Latvia and Ministry of Agriculture, hmmmm..... Maybe not too bad an idea (esp. regarding the ministry!), but how, my God, are they going to do it???? :wallbash: Just to cut the building in half??? :bash: So better say - you should demolish it and build something new instead - sounds like a great investment climate for the Reval hotel!! :) :) :runaway:

As for teh Bastejakalns cafe, maybe it is a good idea because I alwways get an impression that this kalns is a bit desolate area in the middle of the city that is not used up to its potential. Having a park is nice, but it is not really a very public space (I would not risk walking there at night!) I remember watching an album with old photos of Riga and that cafe, if rebuilt in authentic style, would look very nice!! Riga should keep its retro style where possible!

[Gatis]

Parts of Latgale suburb to be reconstructed and turned into tourism attraction
You might remember my sad descriptions of Latgale suburb in this thread and the planning exercises this spring.
Now the first real plans start to appear.
It is planned to reconstruct the buildings on Murnieki Street, reconstruct the street, infrastructure, including such elements as streelamps etc. Finally it should look like this:
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/ielas/kalna_450.jpg
This year will take place the reconstruction of street itself, 0,4 mio EUR.
In coming years there would be elaborated designs to reconstruct several areas nearby, including the market square at Maza Kalna street - former and potential future centre of Maskavas suburb.
http://maskfor.lv/atteli/ielas/lubanas_450.jpg
Here would take place different open-air markets etc.
Some more smaller activities also planned in this year, like design of small ice hockey fields for local boys.
___
OK, there are some more news, like building of 5 new sports centres around the city (this year will start the building), building of new postmodern quartal instead of this building ugly building in the historical centre,
http://vip.latnet.lv/lsp/images/nacionalas_sporta_bazes/rigas_sporta_pils.jpg
endless battle around ice hockey arena and some more, but I do not have more time today.

[Gatis]

Jeffas, you know Riga well :) Thanks for answer
Btw. I started to collect the picturesof reconstructed Art Nouveau buildings, hope to come up woth this soon.

[Jeffas]

Excellent idea to recreate the wooden-house suburb for tourists! But the photos you posted are the old ones, isn't it? It is interesting what they are planning to make in these areas? Hotels, pubs etc. or some etnopgrahic arts, merchant houses as it is planned in the reconstructed/planned to be rebuilt rebuilt Vilnius Uzupis area on both sides of the banks of Vilnele river? In our case, they want to move these village festivals ("Kaziuko muge") to a more village-type of environment outside the old city walls, and I find it a great idea!

I don't know why, but these wooden house districts of Riga remind me of some turn-of-the-century areas of the United States! :) (what is nice) But maybe that's just my very personal impression!!!

[Gatis]

These are the old photos. I could not find the present time pictures of these places.
Village style festivals in Riga take place in Open Air museum - look at their webpage:
Interactive map of the museum (http://www.virmus.com/museum/objekti/full_map.htm) That's a kind of Disneyland but very very interesting one. I am planning to go there and bring reportage to you about the ancient art of building here too.
Latgale suburb is meant more to represent the style of 19th century Riga suburb inhabited by Russians - mostly Russians there are today too. It is planned to locate there small shops, offices, repair shops etc. This thing is not simple because today most of it does not exist - as I have said this will be slow revival, evolution but not something what happens in one year.

[Jarmo K]

i still don't understand...... what does it mean - they're going to decrease the height of the two towers? how will they do that? but it won't happen before 2025, right?

destroying the towers isn't the best idea as far as i'm concerned, in the future such commie-style ugly boxes are really hard to find and then they could be true landmarks or something.... even today i find the Ministry of Agriculture building quite attractive... (:

[Gatis]

Jarmo... in fact I also have used to both of these buildings and think that they are part of panorama in Riga just as St. Peters church is. 21 years - thats long time and people always can change their decisions.
Although many do not like Ministry of Agriculture, I like it too from some viewpoints - especially across Daugava - it has genuine feel of 1970ies. Only the building is "worn out". I am afraid that in a case of rebuilding they will change it.

[Jarmo K]

i wonder why they make plans for the year 2025.... funny... (:

[Gatis]

Riga City purchases 118 new buses
The fleet of 465 city buses in Riga would be renewed significantly this year. Some of the old yellow "Ikarus" buses and some of the 8 years old "Mercedes-Benz" would be exchanged to 24 new "Mercedes Benz", 63 "Solaris" and 31 "Ikarus" midibuses, total costs - 25 mio EUR.
The number of passengers using the buses in Riga has increased largely. Although it was planned to replace all the old "Ikaruses" this year, still some will remain...
City bus enterprise "Rigas Satiksme" has been working in 2003 with profit for the first time over the last years. Price of the ticket - some 0,3 EUR.
Old Ikaruses look something like this. You do not see them much in Riga anymore, but still they are here:
http://www.ovg-son.de/images/flotte/ikarus_g.jpg
Older "Mercedes Benz" in newly opened repair shops
http://www.iauto.lv/images/news//jul2003/Dsc01023.jpg
"Solaris" bus on Vansu bridge
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/17530111451.jpg
New "Ikarus" midibus:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/1034408012.jpg

[Jeffas]

Congrats to Riga! It seems all the Baltic major cities are buying new buses and changing the old ikaruses for the better!

Funny, how come Ikarus version XX.1 is as yellow as the old "commie" version?! :) :) Has that something to do with the flight of Ikarus to the yellow sun...... :)

What about plans to upgrade the tram park? The trams look a bit outdated in Riga already....

[John]

Those yellow Ikaruses are nightmare, I hate seeing them and I try to avoid using them... There are still many of them in Vilnius but they will be changed with new Volvo 7700 (90 buses in total), so I'm glad at last we'll get rid of that yellow bus heritage :)

[Gatis]

Trams in Riga look outdated really. They invested some 8 years ago in major repairs for the existing Czech "Tatra" trams, so they still are running today and are considered to be in a good condition - but inside they are not pleasant anymore, definitely. Here you see two kinds of trams in Riga in use today.
T3a
http://tramvajs.times.lv/tipi/t3a.jpg
T3M
http://tramvajs.times.lv/tipi/t3m.jpg
There is running also restored tram, built in Riga in 1901:
http://tramvajs.times.lv/tipi/retro.jpg
In fact you see also that many Western cities may have some 5 modern trams which are shown in pictures, but the main part of tram fleet looks as of made some 20 years ago - although inside they are much better than the ones in Riga. These things are running for longer time than buses or trolleybuses.
For trams in Riga there ir planned very elegant solution. We have factory "RVR" - Rīgas vagonu rūpnīca (Riga carriage factory) which has great history - established in 1895. , since 1970ies it produces also the high speed trains, running above 200 km/h.
Here you see the speed trains ER-200, these are made in Riga in beginning of 1980ies. Real heavy and ugly Soviet engineering piece ;) now not in use anymore.
http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/pix/ru/electric/emu/ER200/ru_er200-1-2_03.jpg
In last 5 years this factory has seen rebirth - they are getting good profits by building and rebuilding trains for Russia, Georgia, also Lithuania and some more countries.
Over the last 4 years they are elaborating a brand new tram. It has got nickname "RVR-2002", another nickname "Latvian "Bombardier"". They try to investigate all the trams of the world to produce the best possible one.
Last year there was concluded also tri-lateral agreement among Moscow, Riga and RVR about further elaboration of this tram, Moscow and Riga invest in this elaboration. Riga will be used as a "playground" to test these trams. This year tram line No.6. in Riga is rebuilt (works have been started) to fit this new tram. Its floor height would be less than 35 cm.
I have been searching for the pictures of this tram, but can not find it :( Only the delegations of Moscow and Riga have seen them and there are very good replies about its looks (may be it is industrial secret?). One reply (in Russian):
"руководитель службы пути трамвая города Москвы Степан Горячий -- назвал рижский трамвай третьего тысячелетия настоящим "Боингом", с той лишь разницей, что он перемещается не в воздухе, а по земле"
Webpage of the factory with text about new trams (in Russian) (http://www.rvr.lv/3.1.html)

[Gatis]

New 16floor commieblock completed in Riga
In Dzelzavas Street 70, Plavnieki district of Riga City completed 16-floor commieblock. This one was built until 14th floor in 1993 and was standing for 11 years while a company took it, renovated and completed. Looks rather OK for a commieblock district. What do you think about its blue color? Costs - starting from 570 EUR/m2.
http://www.nams24.lv/images/jaunmajas/Dzelzavas70_2L.jpg
http://www.nams24.lv/images/jaunmajas/Dzelzavas70_3L.jpg

[Gatis]

New highrise commieblocks going up
Your informer (that's me) last week drove by Anninmuizas boulevard to see what's happening there. And it is happening! :)
Parkhaus are busy building their first two 22-floorers (rendering)
http://www.nams24.lv/images/jaunmajas/Solaris_1L.jpg
Vestabalt have enclosed their building site of 5 17-floorers, technics are there (again rendering)
http://www.nams24.lv/images/jaunmajas/vestas_L.jpg
There is built a lot of commieblocks around Riga, but I do not like them much... That's why I do not mention them much. Some pictures:
Ziedu muiza, 13 floors
http://www.nams24.lv/images/jaunmajas/Ziedumuiza_8_L.jpg
Vidzemes nams, 11 floors (should be fine views to the Jugla lake)
http://www.nams24.lv/images/jaunmajas/vidzeme_5L.jpg
There is built also huge new commieblock district Dreilini. Hope, I would not need to live in them, I do not like general commieblocks.

[Jeffas]

Our post-soviet architects, raised in the commie-blocks, really had a distorted childhood..... Are they crazy to build these boxes and, esp. to paint them in "Byelorussian blue" as I call it! ;)

[NorthStar77]

Wow, lots of things happening in Riga. Just hope for some better trams soon aswell! You are right about not all trams in western cities beeing new. Well, I can only speak for Oslo's behalf. Now, aprox. half of all trams here are new italian ones. They are nice and airconditioned and all, but getting them into service has been more difficult than it should. There were alot of errors on them initially, for example the wheels weren't round enough!! They are still noisy as hell. The other half of the tramstock is working well, built around late 70'ies/early 80'ies I guess.

Up until two years ago, there were still many what we called "svensketrikker"(Swedish trams) operating. They were bought by Göteborg in the 80'ies for 1 krone (0.12?) each!!!! They were so old that the swedes just wanted to get rid of them, and Oslo bought them as a temporary solution until the new trams (those explained about above) should come, but that temporary period lasted for 2 decades :weird: :crazy2: :clown: :lol: Norway in a nutshell! Maybe they should look to Latvia next time they buy trams :)

About the commieblock In Dzelzavas Street 70, I don't like colour to be honest. If they insisted on blue, it should have been darker, IMO.

[Jarmo K]

it's great that Riga is improving its public transport. by the way, those old yellow ''Ikarus'' buses - i haven't seen them in Tallinn for a looooooong time! although they've still remained in smaller towns of the country. how about Latvia? Riga will have nice shiny buse but other towns?

p.s. - the light-blue color is quite awful in my opinion..... plus, it's a weird commieblock so i don't like this building at all... but Vidzemes nams project seems to be interesting, views to a lake.... hmmm... sounds great! (:

[John]

Today I went from my place to the downtown with an old crappy Ikarus! for the last time I believe, I'm changing it to a new Volvo :banana: :D

[Monkey]

Wow, there's a buzz of activity in this thread! :rock:

Thank you, Gatis, for keeping it alive by feeding us with fresh news and pictures. :)

So commieblocks are still being built in Riga. I find that somewhat distressing, although the new ones of course are more attractive than the grey, boxy predecessor models. ;)

As to those Italian trams: San Francisco had the same problems with theirs that you report for Oslo, NorthStar. Complaints about noise and improper functioning abounded. That was a few years ago. People probably got used to the noise, and whatever difficulties there were with the cars running prooperly seem to have been resolved. :)

Our East Bay bus company just bought brand new buses that are pleasant to look at and offer a comfortable ride. Good interior layout. I'll ask Mortar & Pestle to post a pic. :)

The notion of Ikarus buses makes me smile. I can't understand how a company can be named by that figure of Greek mythology. After all, Ikarus failed in his "transportation" quest, right? :laugh:

[Gatis]

Congrats, John ;)
Jarmo - in Riga the exchange of old yellow Ikaruses with new buses started in 1998. Before 1998 there were used also some "human assistance" - used busses from Denmark etc. but the city since then became financially stronger.
Other cities in Latvia have nice new buses too, for them it was much easier to exchange their fleet as it is much smaller.
I personally have seen that brand new buses have totally replaced the old buses in:
Ventspils - (all - Mercedes Benz, purchased in 2000)
very small picture with animation
http://www.tourism.ventspils.lv/object.photos/CAT_TRANSPORT.gif
Daugavpils (140 buses, mostly Solaris)
they like bright painted...
http://infobus.com.pl/swiat/4/l_1.jpg
Liepaja (44 new buses)
Jurmala (Mercedes-Benz - very fine ones!)
Bauska (a bit unusual looking)

Valmiera, Jelgava (Volvo) has changed their buses partly, do not know about other cities but most likely it is not bad at all.
__
Btw. the fact that I am reporting here only about Riga, does not mean that in other towns nothing happens. Construction per capita in Riga metropolitan area was lover in 2003 than medium in Latvia (only 55% construction happening here although in Riga aglomeration are living nearly 70% of Latvian inhabitants). Some 35 municipalities in Latvia are richer per capita than Riga, including such towns as Valmiera, Dobele, Smiltene or Ventspils (the last 2 times richer).
F.e. tomorrow there will be started construction of Olympic centre (that's basketball + ice hockey hall + fotball hall + athletics centre) in Valmiera, today in Ventspils started construction of juice concentrate freight terminal, in Kemeri (far end of Jurmala) this year would be invested 5 mio EUR to complete reconstruction of art-deco sanatorium, in Sigulda - new "medieval style" conference centre near Turaida castle, two new large factories in Jelgava, in Liepaja developed new plans for city centre and many local people are against it etc etc.
But I do not have time to inform about all of this and I think that it all would be not that interesting for you too...
Oooohh.... sorry sorry this sounds like "Balkan" style barvada. :) I know that Latvia in this sense does not differ from other Baltic states, and even is behind.

[Gatis]

Sorry, a bit shame when reading what I wrote yeasterday - really something like bravada... seems the late night and tiredness from endless writing of magistr's thesis are to blame too...
The news of today are:
Architects started detailed design of "Skaistie skati" highrise in Kipsala
You may remember how we (also CrazyKing) disliked this building, which is planned in Kipsala, not far from Saules akmens:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis8/23874310525.jpg
Today finally there is announcement that architects have started detailed design at it.
This would be apartment house and it has got nickname "Rīgas skaistie skati" - "Nice views in Riga". Just name it "Skaistie skati" (name "Rigas" was added because Gerkan designed another apartment house in Jurmala named "Skaistie skati" - here below you see the design for it) but lets forget about that one - thats nothing high ;)
http://www.realty.lv/img/classif/ekskluziv/skaistie-skati1.gif
"Skaistie skati" have received necessary documentation to start the detailed design. This is done by Gerkan & Marg and Partners together with the local company "Vincents".
The building should be ready in spring 2006. It is planned to have inner garden and luxury shops etc. This building would be characterised by a lot of glass.
Gerkan himself is born in Riga - that's why we see so much of his work here lately.

[DocentX]

http://infobus.com.pl/swiat/4/l_1.jpg

:okay: :okay: :okay: :cheers1:

[Gatis]

Photographed last Sunday, when going to my "lonely volve's walk" in bush along Gauja River.
___
I like the latest tendency here to bring something like architecture in highways too. Have seen this in France before - highways need architecture!!! Hope our highway builders will continue like this in other places.
Here you see the pedestrian+bycicle crossover near Jugla, Riga. They promise to have many of these over our highways, otherwise the safety due to random and very unexpected pedestrians is bad...
http://photos.heremy.com/Liepaja/24000615008.jpg
Some 500 meters later (this road goes from Riga to Sigulda... but only small part reconstructed) - new Via Baltica crossing - would be interesting how they will light it
http://photos.heremy.com/Liepaja/24000715008.jpg
Nothing that impressive regarding architecture but still better than nothing

[Gatis]

TV is going to leave their highrise
You may have noticed one of highrises in Riga - Latvian state TV highrise. Here you see it in the right side of picture:
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/17527311451.jpg
The TV highrise has been built in late Soviet times, when there was one - state TV, with huge bureaucratic apparatus and large pieces of technics. Then this building really was filled up with people and life, I worked there too for half a year in 1995.
Nowadays it is quite different. A lot of programs are prepared by private companies around the country, the same about advertisements, there are local studios in different cities, new TV technologies need much less space.
As a result today TV uses only 2 - 3 floors of 22 floors. And pays state money to sustain whole building.
This week there started to work new state TV director and today he has called a press conference, where announced that TV is going to leave this building. Most likely there would be built new studio in centre of Riga which will include also concert hall.
No idea yet who else will manage this building. I hope that somebody will need it - I like that building and it is a little sad that over the last years it looks worse than before...
Here you see TV building as I see it every day, when passing it by to work.
http://photos.heremy.com/knaabis7/24080411451.jpg
To this side of it there was planned to build another highrise - 27 floors high state radio building... but Soviet Union collapsed. Btw. radio needs even less space than TV

[Gatis]

Mezaparks plans to develop a "city of fountains"
I still owe you reportage about Mezaparks - ideal city for well-off people from 1920ies - 1930ies.
But today there are announced interesting plans by oil transportation company "Vudisona terminals". They rent 13 ha of forest land in Mezaparks - remote place, where German Army in 1942 built oil storage capacities under the earth. The concrete reservoirs (8 very large pieces, 6 of them with capacity of 2200 m3, 10 metres deep) still are there, under the earth and there is no safe technology to remove them. Over the last years there have been installed also good pumps, electrical supplies. But this area today is not feasible for oil storage anymore - too far from harbour.
In this picture you see that area where railway goes into green area - a bit up there is huge red square next to Viestura prospekts - thats project area. You see also the network of narrow gauge railway there.
http://www.rsp.lv/arh/bildes/kartes/mezaparks.gif
Narrow gauge railway there
http://www.ldz.lv/bildes/tu2_2l.jpg
"Vudisona terminals" have proposed another use for this area - to develop a city of fountains. They would like to see hundreds of fountains, artificial cascades, hotel complex, romantic gardens, complex for children and youth. Area would be divided in private (for housing) and public - ices skating, etc. There is also existing narrow g