Best Designs in Latvian Architecture 2012
Seventeen best designs of the year have been selected for the Latvian Architecture Award 2012. Discussions of the national selection panel lasted until the dawn, disputing over whether to include 16 or 17 projects into the final list of nominees for this excellence award.
The main prize, while still being an intriguing secret, is deemed as an enviable one by the organizers of the event. Strict and precise evaluation principles were defined in order to select the best architectural projects of the previous year - be it events, books, programs or actual building design projects. While excellence remained the primary focus in finding the best of the best, a number of other criteria were taken into account, too, such as originality of the project idea and innovation in a global perspective, integrity throughout all the project phases until actual realization, functionality, contextual suitability and sustainability of the project.
Yet as one of the main requirements for any project to earn public acceptance remains its emotional impact. The projects seeking public approval are scattered all across Latvia this time, not only in Riga, marking a distinct tendency towards decentralization. From the midst of 58 reviewed projects, the majority are located outside Riga.
Latgale region in the east of Latvia has a significant offering in this context. One of the most original projects of the past two decades of the area is a center "Zeimuļs" in Rezekne by SIA SAALS project. The center is intended to offer a creative and innovative environment for children and youths while the complex itself, featuring many sloping, green roof surfaces and facing Rēzekne castle mound is a significant contribution of the younger generation of Latvian architects. An equivalent project done by young architects in Kurzeme region is a music and art school MADE in Saldus.
Among environmental projects outside Riga worth mentioning are the reconstruction project of the Historical Market Square in Dobele that serves as the main public outdoor area of the city now, playful shapes of "Big Fish" shopping center in Liepāja, the Empire styled Daugavpils fortress reconstruction project and Daugavpils Mark Rothko Art Center, Samrodes office building in Ventspils - one of the most elaborate architectural design projects of the year fusing perfectly into the city environment, as well as a pavilion and a sightseeing terrace in a memorial site "Liktendarzs" (Garden of destinies).
Extension at the Art Academy of Latvia
The list of nominees in Riga contains the exhibition and lecture hall extension at the Art Academy of Latvia with its brand new glass volume hidden behind the old brick wall by "SZK un partneri". Another object to be mentioned is Žanis Lipke Memorial Museum in Kipsala (the architecture firm "Zaigas Gailes Birojs") - a multi-sensory building telling about Žanis Lipke, who saved lives of 57 Jews during the World War II in this place.
Latvian installation project for the 55th Venice Biennale 2013
Today we talk about architecture not only in the context of construction projects alone. Architecture has stepped out of its traditional framework, comprising also a field of urban exhibitions, publishing of books and development of training programs. Among the 17 best of the best in architecture has to be mentioned also Latvian installation project for the 55th Venice Biennale 2013 and an exhibition-happening "Sodums. Ulysses. Travelling Man", focusing on environmental art and literature and taking place for an entire month.
The jury's acclamation has earned also a training program in urbanism: RADI RĪGU! (Create Riga!), but in the category of architectural literature - a book "Liepājiņa" by Indra Ķempe, which offers a unique perspective on contemporary architecture and urban environment.
Interior design projects are a significant part of small scale architecture and the ones nominated for the Latvian Architecture Prize 2012 are GlaxoSmithKline Latvia office project in Riga and a café "Laiva" ("Boat") and a boatbuilding office in Pavilosta, featuring light and laconic décor with a subtle allusion to the ascetic Baltic Sea coastline. Also to be mentioned are a new and well-thought-out spatial concept of a top-floor apartment at Elizabetes Street in Riga and an interior design of the Ventspils museum and an exposition at the Livonia Order Castle.
Annual design reviews take place ever since 1995 and are held by the Latvian Association of Architects, this year in cooperation with the award winners 2011 - architects Liene Griezīte and Reinis Liepiņš.
The first round selection was done by the national jury of nine members, but the second round finalists will be judged by a prominent international jury, consisting of four prominent architects from Japan, Finland and also one from Estonia and one from Lithuania, to offer a better insight into the regional context.
A special guest of this year's annual review will be the Dutch architect Jacob van Rijs. He has worked with Rem Koolhaas but in 1991 established MVRDV office in Rotterdam - one of the most celebrated representatives of SuperDutch generation in Dutch architecture in the 90s and one of the leading and most innovative offices on the current architectural design scene in the world.
The receiver of the main prize and the other award winners will be announced at the ceremony on May 17. It will take place at the new extension of the Academy of Arts, therefore marking a new tradition of holding annual award ceremonies at a venue designed by one of the nominees.