Hasta La Ideas

This wooden observation platform and pavilion emerges from the landscape of a memorial park in Koknese, Latvia, offering views across the River Daugava (+ slideshow).

Designed by Latvian studios Didzis Jaunzems Architecture and Jaunromans un Abele, the wooden structure is located in the Garden of Destiny, a park designed to celebrate the country’s 100th birthday in 2018 and pay tribute to all those that have died in the last century.

The architects used the natural incline of the site to build a pavilion that is partially buried beneath the ground. A sloping roof provides an elevated deck that visitors can walk over, while the surrounding terrace concludes at a balcony that cantilevers out across the water.

“The view terrace and pavilion create a harmonious environment to discover the special character of the site – the spaciousness and the faraway horizon over River Daugava,” explained Didzis Jaunzems.

Existing features around the site informed the shape of the building. As well as working in line with the site’s topography, the architects designed a structure that avoids all surrounding trees whilst seeking out the best viewing spots.

The structure was built almost entirely from larch. Wooden planks were fixed around a larch frame, creating a uniform surface across the ground planes and around the building’s walls.

Each plank was also milled to create fine ridges, intended to prevent visitors from slipping when the ground is wet, and glazing was added at the front of the pavilion to offer shelter from strong winds and rainfall.

Wooden benches fold up from the ground to provide seating and metal railings create see-through balustrades.

Since opening, the site has become a popular location for all kinds of activities. “The view terrace unintentionally has become a very popular place for wedding ceremonies,” said Jaunzems.

Photography is by ML-Studio.

Read on for more information from the design team:

View Terrace and Pavilion

View Terrace and Pavilion are situated in memorial park “The Garden of Destiny”, the area of Consolation which is the first zone of Future according to overall project of the island. The Garden of Destiny is memorial place for all souls that have been lost to Latvia in last century and it will be completed as a gift to country on its 100th birthday in year 2018. The View Terrace project started as an architectural competition and with a help of donations is now first realised permanent building in memorial park. View terrace received the Prize of the Year in Latvian Architecture Best Works Award.

The view terrace and pavilion create a harmonious environment to discover the special character of the site – the spaciousness and the faraway horizon over River Daugava. The tight bond between Latvian people and nature has been emphasised in the project. Nature is a source of inner energy, strength, peace and inspiration. Nature has been a priority in this project since it is the consolation for Latvians. The building has been designed considering site particularities and in harmony with nature:

» The main flows of people have been analysed. The building is made in a way to not cover the view to river panorama when approaching the site;
» Stop points such as benches and covered space are situated in the places where view is the most stunning and emotional;
» The building has been shaped in a way to preserve most valuable trees on the site;
» Terrain level differences are used in the project design. The pavilion is partly sunken into the ground so it doesn’t cover the view when approaching the building and to provide comfortable access from the lowest level of terrace.

View terrace and pavilion has diversified levels of “openness”. This gives an opportunity to use the building in all kind of weather conditions as well as lets visitors to choose the level which emotionally suits them the best. For example if it is raining or in case of strong wind people can enjoy the view from the part of pavilion that is covered with roof and protected with large glass. But if the weather is not an issue then exposed long benches can be used. The building can be seen as a platform for harmonious interaction between people and nature.

The main architectonic idea of the project is building volume that following people movement from a pathway and seats gradually grows into a building in this way exploring building location on the very coast of the river. Roof inclinations creates an exciting place where to play and relax. The main challenge of the project was its highly public significance – it is built for everybody and furthermore by donations of people. The building is very compact however its configuration and various possibilities of usage allow to coexist all parts of society. From this year on couples in Latvia can officially get married outside the church and the view terrace unintentionally has become a very popular place for wedding ceremonies.

Pavilion and view terrace are made in wood – larch. The load-bearing structure is larch frames. Finishing is larch planks that are processed in a special technique to avoid slippery surfaces on pathways and roof of the building.

Project address: Memorial park “The Garden of Destiny”, Krievkalna Island, Koknese, Latvia
Projects architects: Didzis Jaunzems, Laura Laudere in collaboration with architecture office Jaunromans and Abele

The post Wooden viewing platform looks out
over Latvia’s River Daugava appeared first on Dezeen.

Separate schools for art and music are contained within the glass and timber walls of this academy in Latvia by Riga architects Made (+ slideshow).

Previously housed in independent buildings, Made created a single home for the music and art institutions that pupils in the west Latvian town of Saldus attend on top of their standard educational programme.

The facade is constructed from large timber panels fronted by glass profiles, which help to heat the air trapped in between and insulate the structure.

“Building structure and materials work as passive environmental control and at the same time exhibit [the building’s] functionality,” said the architects.

Chunks missing from the two-storey volume create sheltered patios on the ground floor and balconies on the first floor.

Bright colours distinguish the areas used by each faculty. Green denotes spaces for the music school and the blue zone is occupied by art students.

Staircases, walls and doors are coloured in these bright shades, which contrast with the exposed concrete walls and flooring.

Practice halls and libraries are located at the building’s centre, along with a double-height auditorium surrounded by rippled panels to improve acoustics.

Classrooms and studio spaces are situated around the perimeter so they benefit from the light coming through full-height windows.

The external walls are lined with lime plaster, absorbing humid air that could damage the musical instruments.

We’ve also published a primary school sports hall in Latvia inspired by chunks of amber washed up on the Baltic coast.

Our latest stories about schools include offset gabled volumes that form a new classroom and play area at an English infant school and angular concrete structures used to extend a Portuguese secondary school.

See more school design »
See more design for education »
See more architecture and design in Latvia »

More project details from Made follow:

The building of Music and Art school comprises two schools working separately until now. The classrooms are placed on perimeter, while practicing halls and libraries in the middle of the building.

Light courtyards are the result of the compact plan, providing a lot of daylight and reflected light in the middle of the school, and at the same time being spaces for both schools to interact.

The green colour in the interior marks the music school, while blue is for the art school. Large thermal inertia of the building and integrated floor heating deliver an even temperature regime.

The facade consists of massive timber panels covered with profile glass and is a part of an energy efficient natural ventilation system, preheating inlet air during winter.

Massive wood walls with lime plaster accumulate humidity, providing a good climate for people as well as for musical instruments inside the classrooms.

Building structure and materials work as passive environmental control and at the same time exhibiting functionality.

Inner concrete walls and massive wood walls visible through the glass exhibit their natural origin, which we find an important issue especially at education institutions.

There is no single painted surface on any facade of the school building, every material shares its natural colour and texture.

The post Saldus Music and Art School
by Made appeared first on Dezeen.

Latvian designer Anna Butele used fluorescent paint and marker pens to write inspirational messages across the walls at the new office of her interior design firm Annvil in Riga (+ slideshow).

“Some are in English, some are in Latvian, but they are about being in the moment. It’s always a reminder about thinking of everything you can imagine,” Anna Butele told Dezeen.

Located on Alberta Street, Annvil‘s offices are located within an old building and parts of the original interior are retained, such as the parquet flooring and wooden doors.

The walls are coloured with pastel shades of lilac, turquoise and white, while the painted messages are stencilled in different fonts and fluorescent stripes line the skirting boards.

“The materials of the old building are there and we just coloured everything,” said Butele.

Furniture includes a mix of new and reclaimed pieces, plus a few items that were designed by Annvil. This includes the combined bookshelf and cabinet that leans against a wall and a mirror with bright yellow edges.

In the largest room, an abstract portrait of Butele made up of nine panels is the focus. “The pieces fit together like a puzzle,” she explained.

The project was completed this year and replaces the studio’s previous address on Stabu Street.

Other office interiors we’ve featured on Dezeen recently include the European headquarters of Velcro and a workplace for entrepreneurs in an old coffee-roasting warehouse.

See more office interiors »

Photography is by Ingus Bajārs.

The post Annvil Office, Alberta Street,
by Anna Butele appeared first on Dezeen.

A roof terrace can be glimpsed between the metallic grey timber beams that surround a two-storey house near Riga, Latvia.

House in Marupe was designed by Latvian architects Open AD.

Doors from the two first-floor bedrooms lead directly onto the screened upper terrace, above an open-plan living area that is visible through a circular roof light.

A third bedroom, utility rooms and a spa are also provided on the ground floor.

The floor of the house is finished in black concrete, while timber boards provide an external deck behind the building.

This building is only the second in Latvia to be featured on Dezeen – see also a sports hall inspired by chunks of amber washed up on the Baltic coast.

This week on Dezeen we’ve also published beautiful houses in Japan, Germany and Australia – see all our stories about houses here.

Photography is by Maris Lagzdins.

Here’s some more information from the architects:

The building was constructed around a growing body compositional center-
inner garden.

It was conceived Stylistics Japanese tsubo garden form of the
 Japanese garden culture generally been integrated inside the house, as a
recreational area.

Space around the garden was intended to be transparent, 
thereby fusing, at the same time separating the functions of acquiring and 
natural feeling to a room.

During project implementation, unfortunately, the
 customer refused to inner garden, adding indoor seating area.

Shape the direction of home was holding against the neighboring streets,
 parcel boundaries and corners.

Building a vertical direction followed by the 
sun span, thus the second floor of the south side places deeper,
 resulting in direct sunlight.

On the second floor bedroom has a spacious 
terrace with a planned green plants.

Building is finished with a blackish tree, creating a variety of boards in
 rhythm, but resulting in a seamless whole volume, where the main emphasis
 put on the form.

Click above for larger image

Finishing a different highlight only the entrance area, 
including the smooth metal door in the plane.

Click above for larger image

Emphasizing the building face, 
the remainder of the plot-driven corner wooden footbridge, situated in an
 outdoor fireplace.

Click above for larger image

From there, the building is perceived in its entirety.

See also:

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