AA.VV
This is a special issue devoted to Latvian architecture, with a focus on 25 contemporary works completed since 2000, divided into four areas. At the same time it introduces the historical architecture that provides the context for these contemporary works. This approach follows naturally from the fact that many of the works introduced here evidence the greatest respect for historical architecture and the historical city. Especially in the Old Town of Riga, which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, many harmonious renovations and reconstructions have taken place in which the architects conduct astoundingly strict and precise restorations and install the functions needed for modern life. The task of defining a context implies the work of identifying the whole and clarifying its foundations. In the diverse and multi-layered physical and cultural context of Latvia, over the 25 years since the country achieved its independence, architects have demonstrated their answers to the question “What is Latvian architecture?” through their own work. This issue is an attempt to interpret Latvian architecture through some of the representative works of contemporary Latvian architecture.
