On 9 March 2023, the “State Real Estate” (SRE), together with representatives of the Ministry of Culture, the Art Academy of Latvia and the Art Education Competence Centre "Riga Design and Art Secondary School", the architectural firm Krasts and the construction company "P and S Būvniecība" placed a time capsule with a message for the future in the foundations of the prototyping workshop "Riga Makerspace" at 13 A. Briāna Street, Riga, informs Jeļena Gavrilova, the SRE Member of the Board.
In the foundations of the prototyping (new product sample development) workshops, the project participants together placed a time capsule with a message for future explorers. The messages contain information about the project's creators, wishes and hope for the future, as well as various symbolic findings, such as the architects' pencil used to draw the project's sketches.
"The investment of the European Union funds allows us to rebuild the historic building on Briāna Street, at the same time cleaning up one of the currently degraded areas of Riga and creating modern premises for students of the Art Academy of Latvia and the Art Education Competence Centre "Riga Design and Art Secondary School"," says Ritvars Jansons, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Culture, emphasizing that once the works are completed, the building will become a meeting point for new design ideas with entrepreneurs who will turn these ideas into goods that can be bought on store shelves.
"Leonardo da Vinci, David Hockney and the Riga-based sculptor August Foltz are all remarkable figures who have used technology to have a huge impact on the world today. The Art Academy of Latvia is full of hope that the new prototyping workshops “Riga Makerspace” will provide young minds with new challenges and dimensions that will leave an indelible mark on the development of our country. Just like August Foltz, who created expressive architectural decorations in his Valdemāra Street studio in the neighbourhood, without which Riga's urban environment is unimaginable", Professor Andris Vītoliņš, the Vice-Rector of the AAL.
"This will be one of the multifunctional meeting points between education and art, where art and technology will share the same premises. Together with everyone involved, we are creating modern premises for students and faculty of several programmes of the Art Academy of Latvia and the Art Education Competence Centre "Riga Design and Art Secondary School", as well as for those inspired by lifelong learning opportunities. We are honoured to continue our work in the fields of environmental preservation, restoration and improving the quality of education," says Jeļena Gavrilova, the SRE Member of the Board.
"The first tool in the architect's arsenal of natural tools is definitely the pencil, which is used to sketch the idea of a building on paper. Although the premises in the future building will be equipped with modern high-tech facilities, one of the tools of the young student-emerging artists and craftsmen will surely be a pencil, simple as that. "Krasts" architects' wish is that the new art premises at the Art Academy of Latvia and the Riga Design and Art Secondary School will not lack inspiration for future artists and teachers," says Renāte Truševska, the Krasts bureau of architects Member of the Board.
Demolition works in the former Riga Light Industry Technical School building, as well as the construction of a new building, are actively underway in “Riga Makerspace” prototyping workshop area. By mid summer, the highest point of the new roof will be reached. The project will end in early 2024.
According to the vision of Krasts architects, the project will renovate 1500 m2 of Riga's public space and build and renovate 3600 m2 of public buildings. The construction, revitalization and energy efficiency works are being carried out by the general partnership "P un S Būvniecība".
The total cost of the works is 9.4 million euro (including VAT). The Ministry of Culture has attracted funding from the European Union Funds Operational Programme "Growth and Employment", as well as from the state budget (including Covid-19 funding to warm up the economy through investment in construction) for the development of “Riga Makerspace” prototyping workshop.
Photos of the event are available here.
