The Great Guild building at 6 Amatu Street, Riga, the home of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO), is closing its doors for a major transformation. According to Jeļena Gavrilova, member of the board of SJSC "State Real Estate", which commissioned the work, the renovation and reconstruction of this building, also one of Riga’s oldest concert venues, will result a modern look, without losing the historical elements. At the same time, the building will be able to meet energy efficiency requirements and become accessible for all lovers of high-quality music.
The construction will take place based on a ‘Design – Build’ principle. There will be two phases: the first will include measures to improve the energy efficiency of the building, while the second will encompass a sequence of other reconstruction tasks planned for the Grand Hall of the Great Guild, with the reconstruction of the Great Hall itself, the construction of low-current systems, measures to improve accessibility, and others.
‘The SRE team is determined to manage and supervise the renovation of the Great Guild to make the building accessible to all social groups and to make sure that the construction is done well and within a reasonable time. ‘Given the special cultural historic status of the building and the necessity to preserve the cultural heritage and the architectural features of the building, special requirements are set for its renovation, which is why it will take place in close cooperation with the Latvian National Cultural Heritage Board,’ Jeļena Gavrilova, SRE member of the board, pointed out. The renovation is to be completed within the next two years, unless any unforeseen circumstances or discoveries arise during this work.
‘We are extremely happy to see that the long-awaited moment has finally arrived: the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra is leaving its home, the Great Guild concert hall, letting the builders start their work on the extensive renovation works. The Great Guild is one of the most interesting buildings in the Old Town, with a centuries-long history. If you go through it, from the cellar to the upper floor, you can literally visit these many centuries and experience different architectural styles. In order to preserve this historic site and the concert hall in it, it was urgently necessary to introduce various technical improvements and modern improvements. The musicians and guests of the Great Guild are looking forward to the opening of the renovated building in two years!,’ Indra Lūkina, head of LNSO, said.
While the Great Guild building is undergoing major improvements, the LNSO will go to other concert halls with its performances. For more details, see: https://www.lnso.lv/post/lnso-uz-diviem-gadiem-pamet-lielo-gildi-kur-notiks-koncerti.
A total of approximately EUR 14.5 million (including VAT) is to be invested in the development of the Great Guild. This amount has been raised by the Ministry of Culture through Investment 1.2.1.4.i ‘Energy performance improvement in public sector buildings, including historical buildings’ of Reform and Investment field 1.2 ‘Energy performance improvement’ of the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility plan, and through Activity 5.1.1.5 ‘Renovation of unique European cultural heritage to improve its accessibility and develop cultural services’ of Specific Assistance Goal 5.1.1 ‘Work towards integrated social, economic, and environmental development, and improvement in cultural heritage, tourism, and security in local areas’ of the EU Cohesion Policy Programme for 2021–2027.
For the restoration and reconstruction of the Great Guild concert hall, SRE has concluded a ‘Design – Build’ contract with the tenderer that submitted the most economical bid, Ltd. RERE MEISTARI.
The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra is one of the foundational elements of the national culture with a history spanning almost a hundred years, as it offers an extensive symphonic music repertoire with outstanding artistic delivery, introducing Latvian audiences to the core pieces and latest features of the world’s music, and foreign audiences to the treasures of the music of Latvia.
The building of the Great Guild is one of the oldest public buildings in the Baltics, a cultural historical heritage site that dates back to the first half of the 14th century. Over the centuries, the building has undergone several transformations, wars, and, in 1963, a fire. It has seen multiple expansions over time. The most significant influence on its outward appearance was made by the construction of its Baroque-style façade in 1697, while the indoor spaces have seen multiple transformations, as they were adapted to the changing functions of the building. In the middle of the 19th century, the building was considerably expanded and got a Tudor Gothic style look.
It was originally home to the Riga Merchant Guild, or the Great Guild, which existed from 1354 to 1939, and the famous Grand Hall was the guild’s meeting place. In the early period of the Republic of Latvia, the Great Guild was transformed into the Riga Great Guild Society with cultural and social functions, and in 1936, by order of then President of Latvia Kārlis Ulmanis, the Great Guild was transformed into the Congress House with ‘an incredibly luxurious wooden interior’. In 1941, the building became home to the State Philharmonic Orchestra. In 1965, after the fire, a new lobby was added to the building and the interior was adapted to the needs of a concert hall. The final result is considered by many to be perhaps the most successful project of the architect Modris Ģelzis. A few decades later, in 1998, the walls were repainted according to a design by the architect Liesma Markova. The building was last renovated for the NATO summit in 2006.
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