A large piece of new urban tissue is introduced on the developing bank of the river Daugava, with view to and from the Riga City Centre: the stakes are high. Besides being called to set an example against sprawl, the area belongs to the broader protected Unesco zone. The proposed masterplan, the future viability of the development in mind, focuses on mixed-use, flexibility, and abundance of qualitative public space.
A general base of limited height covers the development. A series of public& semi-public spaces interrupt the four-storey base in strategic spots. Removing mass from the base, a set of taller buildings is added: marking locations and framing views for the development itself, they also establish a link to the towers of the old right bank.
Few main squares and towers actively define their surroundings and structure the area. The secondary elements are left to be defined during the architectural design phases: in the time-span of this scale of projects, needs are bound to shift. Providing workable principles to guarantee a well articulated whole becomes more crucial than the parts that compose it.