The winners of the Sustainability in Architecture, Construction and Design competition were named in the beginning of September, and the two projects developed by Vastint Latvia — the Lindenholma residential buildings and the public square in front of AC Hotel by Marriott Riga — took away prizes in two categories. These two prestigious awards attest to the success of the projects’ well-considered planning and realisation, aiming to create a favourable and pleasant environment for both residents and city dwellers.
The Sustainability in Architecture, Construction and Design competition, organized by the Building Design and Construction Council (BDCC) in cooperation with the Ministry of Economics and the State Construction Control Bureau of Latvia, took place for the second successive year. It is the only event of this kind in the Baltics. The purpose of the contest is to promote existing and future architectural projects and concepts, the initial value of which do not dissipate over time and the functionality and structure of which are directed to serving the greater social good.
Within the competition, the Lindenholma residential buildings took the honorary third place in the Sustainable Project 2020 category, also becoming the best residential project in Latvia among this year’s winners. The Lindenholma is an urban concept residential quarter in which the aesthetics and functionality essential to contemporary city dwellers meet the vast and rich outdoors, creating a fully fledged, harmonious living environment. At the moment, the first phase of Lindenholma is underway, encompassing six three-storey to five-storey buildings with 209 apartments for purchase and rental. The architects Gatis Didrihsons, Ansis Klīdzējs and Dace Lazdiņa of Didrihsons arhitekti are the creators of the project’s conception; the architects Arvīds Līkops and Kristaps Blaubergs of SIA Linia are the authors of the design project. SIA Deprom LV is the construction company for the project, while the landscaping is designed by SIA Labie koki and implemented by SIA Pēterdārzs.
The second acclaimed project by Vastint Latvia is the public square in front of AC Hotel by Marriott Riga on 33 Dzirnavu Street. It received third place in the Most Sustainable Landscaping category, also becoming the best landscaping achievement in the private property sector. Within this project, an area of outdoor space in the historic city centre was freed of cars and repurposed for the use of pedestrians. Now the public square in front of the hotel has become a fully landscaped green area, surrounded by blooming hydrangeas and 11 stately apple trees, inviting both Riga dwellers and visitors to linger here for a while.
The project authors are the landscape architect Linda Zaļā of Zala Landscape Architecture and Andris Kronbergs and Mikus Druviņš of Arhis Arhitekti. The pathways were designed by E. Daniševska birojs and constructed by SIA Skonto būve.