This autumn will see the opening of a major creative industry and cultural education facility – Riga Makerspace at 13 Astrīda Briāna Street in Riga. According to Jeļena Gavrilova, member of the board of SJSC “State Real Estate”, the project is progressing swiftly, with the construction proceeding in line with the monthly schedule. About 82% of the work is already finished.
“This cutting-edge prototyping workshop will offer vital support to students of Riga Art and Design Secondary School and the Art Academy of Latvia. We are now comfortably in the home stretch: the facade finish is almost done, and the renovation of the historic building has given it a new and better look that meets modern requirements and is in line with the outdoor aesthetics expectations. Meanwhile, the new building notably has a modern, contrasting, and laconic facade. The greenery and grounds improvements have begun. We plan to commission the buildings this autumn, currently working hard to achieve that goal,” Gavrilova said.
Both buildings are undergoing final interior and infrastructure improvements, to be completed soon. Heating, climate control, and ventilation systems have been installed to enable proper working conditions in workshops and to create a pleasant atmosphere for the users of the building. The indoor water supply and sewer systems have already been fully installed, for better function and comfort in the building. The remaining utilities are also nearing completion, currently at about 85%. The plasterboard and masonry partition walls and windows have been finished, bringing abundant light and a creative atmosphere to the prototyping workshop. The interior finishing is currently underway and will be completed soon.
The Riga Makerspace premises are to hold six workshops matching the education programmes of the Riga Art and Design Secondary School and the Art Academy of Latvia, and enabling a high-quality and competitive study process. Besides, the Lifelong Learning Prototyping Service Centre will offer seminars, lectures, and other events to anyone interested.
“The Riga Makerspace prototyping workshop will provide students of the Art Academy of Latvia with a unique opportunity to use their theoretical knowledge in practice and to develop skills in a modern and creative environment that fosters both personal growth and interdisciplinary collaboration with other artists and designers, thus strengthening the international competitiveness of Latvia’s creative industries,” Kristaps Zariņš, rector of the Art Academy of Latvia, said.
The project is implemented by “P un S Būvniecība” general partnership, with the total construction cost comprising 12 million euros (including VAT), of which 5,681,741.40 euros is covered by ERDF funding. For the development of the Riga Makerspace prototyping workshop, the Ministry of Culture has raised funding through the “Growth and Employment” European Union fund operational programme and through the national budget (including the COVID-19 funding intended to stimulate the economy through investments in construction).
