Author: Metu konkurss

As a result of the TabFab competition, high-quality solutions have been obtained. The State JSC “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi” will acquire an optimal revitalisation proposal for the whole complex of the former Tobacco Factory, further elaborating and implementing them, as well as the improved and landscaped public open space of a high-quality architectural design.
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CONCLUSION OF THE JURY

Welcome to the exhibition of the prize-winning entries of the sketch design competition for the future vision of the TabFab Quarter in the theatre house “Horse Post Station” of the Latvian Academy of Culture!

A few weeks ago, on 7 December, the Latvian architectural office “NRJA” or “No Rules Just Architecture” was announced as the winner of the international sketch design competition for the development of the vision of the TabFab Creative Quarter (at Miera iela 58a).

According to Kitija Gruškevica, chairperson of the jury and board member of the SJSC “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi”: “the prize-winning solution is brave, original and attractive not only to the local community but to foreign visitors as well. In this vision, the jury saw a strong composition, architects’ understanding of the urban environment and a skilful design which masterfully combined the needs of the community of the creative quarter”.

While the winners of the competition are negotiating the elaboration of the construction design, we kindly invite you to the exhibition displaying the best entries of the competition!

The exhibition in the theater house “Horse Post Station” at Dzirnavu iela 46 is open to visitors on weekdays from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m., as well as before theater performances until 1 February 2019.

The SJSC “VNĪ” organised the competition in partnership with the Latvian Ministry of Culture, the Latvian Academy of Culture and the Danish Cultural Institute.

The entries submitted to the competition were evaluated by an international jury consisting of architects from Latvia and Denmark: Jānis Dripe, Agrita Maderniece, Gvido Princis, Aigars Kušķis, Gatis Didrihsons, Steen Enrico Andersen, Tanja Jordan and Agnese Hermane from the Latvian Academy of Culture who represented the new residents of the quarter. Michael Metz Mørch, Secretary General to the Danish Cultural Institute, participated in jury’s sessions as an expert and architect Dace Kalvāne acted as secretary-in-charge of the jury. Chairperson of the jury was Kitija Gruškevica, board member of “VNĪ”.

“VNĪ” plans to complete the construction and development of the Creative Quarter by the end of 2022. The total budget of the project is 5.058 million euros, of which 4.980 million euros are the funds of the European Regional Development Fund and Latvia’s budget, and 78,000 euros were provided by the Kingdom of Denmark. The budget also includes the total amount of prize money.

The Tobacco Factory Quarter and Its History

The aim of the revitalization project of the TabFab Quarter is to breathe new life into an important city district and create a new place for the creative industries where to learn and work, develop and realize ideas. There will be a business incubator and workshops of the creative industries in the quarter and specially designed spaces for the Latvian Academy of Culture, the Riga Film Museum and the Latvian Museum of Photography.

Already now the TabFab has established itself as an important venue for creative activities, since the New Riga Theater has found a temporary home in the territory of the new TabFab Quarter while construction work is underway at its former location at Lāčplēša iela 25.

The old tobacco factory is something more and not just another place to be revitalized. It is a territory with the total area of 7229 m2 and the total building area of 13,362 m2. Implementing the idea of the architectural office “NRJA” who won the competition of the TabFab Creative Quarter, this territory would not only become a creative environment for students of the Latvian Academy of Culture, museums and the business incubator of the creative industries, but also a magnet attracting local inhabitants of Miera iela and tourists alike.

The territory of the quarter (Miera iela 58/60) has a long and eventful history. In the 1900s, there was Jānis Janelis’ sausage factory, and since 1912, a tobacco factory “A.S. Maikapar” named after its founder Samuel Maikapar. The owner of the factory wanted to build a new three-storey production block designed by the outstanding architect and engineer Paul Mandelstamm (1872–1941) who was the author of more than 70 masonry buildings in Riga.

During the first Republic of Latvia, it was one of the largest and technically most advanced tobacco factories producing more than 2.5 million different brands of cigarettes a year. The company’s products were exported to America, China, India, Africa, Europe and Russia. In 1940, the factory was nationalized and became “Riga Tobacco Factory”.

In 1992, a Latvian-Danish joint venture “House of Prince Riga” was founded on its basis. After several changes of the name and owners, the factory was closed in 2009. For several years, the quarter had been a venue for various creative events. A part of the oldest building was renovated until 2017 and it became a temporary residence of the New Riga Theater during the restoration period of its historic building.

VNĪ: Latvian Architectural Office “NRJA” Has Won the Competition for Development of the TabFab Creative Quarter

According to Kitija Gruškevica, Board Member of the State JSC “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi” (“VNĪ”), the prize-winner of the competition “The Architectural Vision for the Complete Development of the TabFab Creative Quarter” is the Latvian architectural office “NRJA” that has been invited to participate in the negotiation procedure for the development of the construction design and author’s supervision.

The vision of the architectural office “NRJA” (“No Rules Just Architecture”) for the development of the TabFab creative quarter was almost unanimously recognized to be the best one by the international jury.

As many as 130 requests for competition materials were received, and 17 competition entries were submitted from different countries of the world. The organisers of the competition believe that this can be regarded as an excellent achievement.

“The jury evaluated the quality of the architectural solution, the idea and its relevance to the needs of the users, the blending of the object within the cityscape and the functionality and attractiveness of the landscaping solutions of the territory. Long-term operational aspects of the buildings like energy efficiency and sustainable solutions were also of crucial importance”, Gruškevica said.

She emphasises that the prize-winning solution is brave, original and attractive not only to the local community but to foreign visitors as well. “In this vision, the jury saw a strong composition, architects’ understanding of the urban environment and a skilful design which masterfully combined the needs of the community of the creative quarter”, Gruškevica added.

Minister of Culture Dace Melbārde underlined the significance of the competition for development of the TabFab creative quarter, as it is going to be a home for several institutions of culture and creative industries, including one of the three Latvian higher educational establishments of culture, i.e. the Latvian Academy of Culture.

“I am sure that the jury consisting of Danish and Latvian experts has chosen the best solution that will bring joy to the students and lecturers of the Latvian Academy of Culture as well as to the visitors of the Riga Film Museum and the Latvian Photo Museum. At the same time, this place should become a starting point for the creative industries where new ideas are born and evolving”, Minister of Culture Dace Melbārde said, announcing the competition results.

According to Agnese Hermane, a spokesperson for the prospective residents of the quarter, a member of the jury and director of the Creative Industries programme at the Latvian Academy of Culture, the proposed visual image of the buildings, although not reflecting the traditional perception of the reconstruction of historic buildings, still conveys the overall impression of the Tobacco Factory quarter.

“The authors of the idea have managed to capture and reflect the spirit of the academy. The location of the library at the entrance to the quarter is symbolical and perfectly fits the university function. I am particularly grateful that it was possible to relocate our garden and campfire place to this site”, Hermane added.

The architectural office “NRJA” or “No Rules Just Architecture” was founded in 2005 and it currently employs a team of six architects. While the high-rise complex “Z-Towers” is the most outstanding and visible one among the office’s works, several other projects are in the process of approval at the Riga City Construction Board, e.g. the reconstruction and development project for the building of the Latvian Railway History Museum, the construction of a six-storey office and apartment building in Eksporta iela. The office was also a prize-winner at the international design competition for the reconstruction of the Riga Circus.

“The name of our office means looking at architecture without the rules, that is, we capture and implement different things from different points of view. Each object is a new challenge for us, we use our knowledge and experience we have gained in every object. Therefore, we can be pretty sure that we have included the best solutions we could also in the development vision for the TabFab quarter”, stated Uldis Lukševics, the head of the architectural office “NRJA”.

The prize-winners of the competition also receive prize money. The architectural office “NRJA”, who won the first prize, will receive 18,000 euros. The jury awarded the second prize and 14,000 euros to the proposal submitted by an association of Latvian and British participants including “Alsins Architecture”, “Kalve Arhitekti” and “Fabrum”, and the third-prize winner SIA “Būvdizains” will receive the prize money of 10,000 euros.

The jury has also awarded four incentive prizes in the amount of 2000 euros each. They will be awarded to the Danish company “SLETH”, a Latvian and Danish association “LAAA” including “Lauder Architects”, “Ainavu projektēšanas darbnīca ALPS”, “A.Ābeles inženieru birojs”, “Acitektura”, a Danish association of companies ““Arkitekt MAA”, “DSA Ark Studio”, “Jorgen Taxholm & Nils Jeppe Hansen Wuttke & Ringhof Arkitekter BDA MMA”, “Thomas Ringhof Knud Aarup Kappel”” and “Richard Galey & Partners (Leicester)” from the UK.

The State JSC “VNĪ” organised the competition in partnership with the Latvian Ministry of Culture, the Latvian Academy of Culture and the Danish Cultural Institute.

The entries submitted to the competition were evaluated by an international jury consisting of architects from Latvia and Denmark: Jānis Dripe, Agrita Maderniece, Gvido Princis, Aigars Kušķis, Gatis Didrihsons, Steen Enrico Andersen, Tanja Jordan and Agnese Hermane from the Latvian Academy of Culture who represented the new residents of the quarter. Michael Metz Mørch, Secretary General to the Danish Cultural Institute, participated in jury’s sessions as an expert and architect Dace Kalvāne acted as secretary-in-charge of the jury. Chairperson of the jury was Kitija Gruškevica, board member of “VNĪ”.

“VNĪ” plans to complete the construction and development of the Creative Quarter by the end of 2022. The total budget of the project is 5.058 million euros, of which 4.980 million euros are the funds of the European Regional Development Fund and Latvia’s budget, and 78,000 euros were provided by the Kingdom of Denmark. The budget also includes the total amount of prize money.

“VNĪ” is currently implementing 32 significant development projects as part of the programme “100 Addresses for the Centennial of Latvia” amounting to about 135 million euros. The company has more than 500 buildings with an area of 1.8 million square meters and more than 4100 land properties with an area of more than 10 million square meters. The company was founded in 1996 and its sole shareholder is the Ministry of Finance.

Additional information to the media:
State JSC “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi”
Corporate Communications, e-mail: komunikacija@vni.lv

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MOTTO: IROK2022
AWARDED PRIZE: 1st place
AUTHOR: ARHITEKTU BIROJS NRJA
(Legal name SIA “F.L.TADAO & LUKŠEVICS”)
(Uldis Lukševics, Zigmārs Jauja, Ivars Veinbergs, Ieva Lāce – Lukševica, Elīna Lībiete, Inga Dubinska, piedaloties Artūram Tolam)

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MOTTO: AMAR4849
AWARDED PRIZE: 2nd place
AUTHOR: Association
– LTD “ALSINS ARCHITECTURE “ (Harijs Alsiņš)
– SIA “KALVE ARHITEKTI” (Māris Pērkons)
– SIA “FABRUM” (Arnis Alsiņš)

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MOTTO: SKRR2020
AWARDED PRIZE: 3nd place
AUTHOR: SIA “BŪVDIZAINS”
(Normunds Pavārs, Sidhards Jānis Libers, Egīls Markus, Andra Odumāne, Aleksandrs Borodkins)

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MOTTO: CCKK2018
AWARDED PRIZE: Incentive award
AUTHOR: A/S “SLETH” (Søren Leth)

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MOTTO: 00TTTT00
AWARDED PRIZE: Incentive award
AUTHOR: Association LAAA
– SIA “Lauder Architects” (Kārlis Lauders)
– SIA “Ainavu projektēšanas darbnīca ALPS” (Ilze Rukšāne)
– SIA “A.Ābeles inženieru birojs” (Armands Ābele)
– SIA “Acitektura” (Ainārs Cikanovičs)

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MOTTO: AAAA0064
AWARDED PRIZE: Incentive award
AUTHOR: Association
– DSA Ark Studio (Jørgen Bech Taxholm, Nils Jeppe Hansen)
– Wuttke & Ringhof Arkitekter BDA MAA (Thomas Ringhof)
– Knud Aarup Kappel, Arkitekt MAA
(by participating: Martina Bo Rubino (Arkitekt/EAHR architects), Eri Yamazaki (Arkitekt), Nanna B.Hansen (Stud.arch.))

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MOTTO: JGBG2222
AWARDED PRIZE: Incentive award
AUTHOR: LTD “rg+p”

 

The Session for disclosure of mottoes and opening of qualification documents of the Sketch Design competition “THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION FOR COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TabFab CREATIVE QUARTER” ID Nr. VNĪ/2018/7/2-3/MK-1
will take place on 6 December 2018, at 2 p.m., in the 2nd floor Hall, State Joint Stock Company “Valsts nekustamie īpašumi”, Vaļņu street 28, Rīga.

Please, arrive in time taking with you a personal identification document.

Contact person Dace Kalvane, telephone + 371 29480702

In accordance with Clause 2.3 of the Brief, the Procurement Committee answers the questions as well as provides additional information not later than 6 (six) days before the deadline for the submission of proposals.
The deadline for answering the questions is 15 November.

Attention!
Site visit only after previous application!

The site visit of the Sketch design competition
“THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION FOR COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TABFAB CREATIVE QUARTER” ID NO. VNĪ/2018/7/2-3/MK-1
will take place at Miera iela 58a, Riga,
on 8 October 2018, at 12 a.m.

– The interested Participants of the competition should apply for the site visit by sending an e-mail with visitor’s name, surname to tabfab@metukonkurss.lv no later than by 4 October 2018, till 5 p.m.
– Site visit duration ~2h.
– The visit to the site is not mandatory.

Contact person Dace Kalvāne, telephone +371 29480702

Attention!
Site visit only after previous application!

The site visit of the Sketch design competition
“THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION FOR COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TABFAB CREATIVE QUARTER” ID NO. VNĪ/2018/7/2-3/MK-1
will take place at Miera iela 58a, Riga,
on 1 October 2018, at 12 a.m.

– The interested Participants of the competition should apply for the site visit by sending an e-mail with visitor’s name, surname to tabfab@metukonkurss.lv no later than by 27 September 2018, till 5 p.m.
– Site visit duration ~2h.
– The visit to the site is not mandatory.

Contact person Dace Kalvāne, telephone +371 29480702

Attention!
Site visit only after previous application!

The site visit of the Sketch design competition
“THE ARCHITECTURAL VISION FOR COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TABFAB CREATIVE QUARTER” ID NO. VNĪ/2018/7/2-3/MK-1
will take place at Miera iela 58a, Riga,
10 September 2018, at 13:00.

– The interested Participants of the competition should apply for the site visit by sending an e-mail with visitor’s name, surname to tabfab@metukonkurss.lv no later than by 6 September 2018, till 17:00.
– Site visit duration ~2h.
– The visit to the site is not mandatory.

Contact person Dace Kalvāne, telephone +371 29480702