06/06/2016
An online gallery showcasing the seven shortlisted design concepts for the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art Design Competition was launched by the competition’s organisers, Malcolm Reading Consultants, in association with the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art.
Images and design boards for the proposals for this new national museum in Riga, Latvia, are now available to view digitally at the competition’s online site: https://competitions.malcolmreading.co.uk/lmoca
Dace Melbārde, Minister for Culture of the Republic of Latvia, said:“It is a source of pride that we can experience the first example in Latvia’s history of cultural patronage on such a scale. The new museum building is becoming a catalyst for changes in Latvia. It is an affirmation of the power of private public partnership and the ability to significantly influence our cultural environment. The ambitiousness of the project proves that, by involving the private sector, it is possible to embark on the construction of large scale, nationally important infrastructure. The creation of the museum is also a huge investment in the shaping of Latvia’s international image. I am glad that this project has already made creative partnerships between the world’s top class and Latvian architects’ offices.”
Romans Surnačovs, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation, said: “There was a great excitement in the Foundation when we saw the submissions. We were so thrilled with the result that we wanted the general public to see them too – these seven proposals have come out of a hugely creative collaboration between international architectural practices and Latvian architects. We would like to thank all the teams for participating in the competition and allowing us to present their design concepts for the forthcoming contemporary art museum not only to the competition jury, but also to the general public, architectural professionals and students, and the art community.”
Malcolm Reading, Competition Director, said: “We are delighted to publish these submissions. The teams have created a vivid and intense set of design proposals illustrating the potential for this building to become a modern landmark for Riga. The teams of international and local partners have produced work of the highest quality and, today, the jury begins its work to determine a winner.”
Announced in early 2016, the shortlisted teams – international practices working in collaboration with Latvian architects – are:
- Adjaye Associates (UK) and AB3D
- Caruso St John Architects (UK) and Arhitektu birojs Jaunromāns un Ābele
- Henning Larsen Architects (Denmark) and MARK arhitekti
- Lahdelma & Mahlamäki Architects (Finland) and MADE arhitekti
- Neutelings Riedijk Architects (Netherlands) and Brigita Bula arhitekte
- Sauerbruch Hutton (Germany) and Arhitekts Ingurds Lazdiņš
- wHY (US) and OUTOFBOX Architecture and ALPS
The competition jury, chaired by David Bickle, Director of Design, Exhibitions and FuturePlan at London’s V&A museum, will meet on June 6 and 7, and the winner announcement is scheduled for mid-June.
Other members of the jury include Uldis Balodis, Architect, representing the Ministry of Culture; Gianni Botsford, Director & Head of Design, Gianni Botsford Architects; Jānis Dripe, Architect, representing the Ministry of Culture; Reinier de Graaf, Partner, Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), and Director of AMO (OMA’s think-tank); Luke Jerram, Visual artist and director of Luke Jerram Ltd; Ieva Valtere, Executive Director, Pillar Management, SIA; Elīna Vikmane, Board Member, Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation. Malcolm Reading, Competition Director, will advise the jury.
Set to become a cultural and arts centre of interregional as well as national significance, the forthcoming Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art benefits from a strategic site in the centre of Riga, the capital of Latvia. Its unique collection will span art and visual culture in Latvia and the Baltic Sea region from the 1960s to the present day.
The new €30 million museum building is a private and public collaboration; funded by the Boris and Inara Teterev Foundation and the ABLV Charitable Foundation, the initiative is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
In 2015 the Foundation commissioned a high-profile invited design competition from leading competition specialists, Malcolm Reading Consultants, to identify the best architectural talent available for the project. Twenty-five international practices were asked to participate in the first stage of the competition.
