A New Academic Centre in Tornkalns Under Construction

Currently, there is a unique project under construction – the UL Academic Centre in Tornkalns. If everything goes according to plan, students will see the opening of the new Academic Centre of Natural and Medical Sciences on September 1, 2014. It will be the first stage of development of Tornkalns campus – a significant, modern and energy efficient building complex for studies and research. In hand’s reach Riga citizens know that Tornkalns is situated on the left bank of the River Daugava or Pardaugava, Zemgale suburb. This part of Riga started to develop at the end of the 19th century, but still in the early 20th century Tornkalns, which is known with its Marupite, Maras Pond and Arkadijas Park, and the neigbouring district of Ziepniekkalns were separated by a large forest area. It is said that the name ‘Tornkalns’ was derived from a tower, for the first time mentioned in written sources in 1483 and located on the right bank of Marupite, near to the present-day Jelgava Street. In the long run at the foot of the Tower emerged a settlement, which already in the second half of the 17th century was called as ‘the Land near the Tower’ or ‘building plots of the Tower’. Historians say that in 1681 the first Latvian school in Pardaugava was opened in this village. During the last years the surroundings of Tornkalns Station delighted with their more or less well-kept private gardens. However, after 2005 the territory according to the law was intended for another purpose; Tornkalns was chosen as a place for building a campus of the University of Latvia. Integration in the urban environment At the present moment the question related to the landed property in Tornkalns, where the UL campus will be, is completely resolved. After long and detailed research, evaluating various places, it was concluded that there are not many palces around the centre of Riga, where such project would be possible. It was important to find a place close to the centre and other buildings of the University, as well as successfully incorporate the project within essential infrastructure, including convenient transport links. „It took a long time to find the right place, when finally there came an offer from the Riga City Council about Tornkalns, which later turned out to be of state ownership. Considering all the conditions, Tornkalns was chosen as the best option. Firstly, it is located close enough to the centre, because the right bank of the River Daugava can be reached on foot in fifteen minutes. Secondly, not far away there is a new National Library under construction, which is also of great importance for the study purposes. Thirdly, there is also a good sports centre in the area. Next, there are also other buildings of the University around Tornkalns: Faculty of Physics and Mathematics in Zellu Street, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Medicine in O. Vaciesa Street, as well as P. Stradina Clinical University Hospital, which is a scientific and training base for many UL projects and study programmes. In general, a good, interrelated and complementary science and study complex is to be built,” says the UL Science Pro-rector, Professor Indrikis Muiznieks. Consequently, the final decision about Tornkalns was accepted after less than one year long consulting period. The project was prepared and submitted to the European Regional Development Fund, in order to get the finacial support for university infrastructure development constituting 22.7 million lats required for building and equipping the new Natural Sciences Study Centre in Tornkalns. Currently, the entire documentation of land property is ensured, and the emancipation of temporary buildings within the area of private gardens is completed. In addition, the feasibility study has already been done from the University science project funds, searching the optimal energy solution to the complex of buildings, considering also soil structure of the place and verifying that no remains of historical buildings are affected. According to Professor I. Muiznieks, this examination shows that the territory is acceptable also from the point of building conditions. Multifunctionality as a prerequisite The UL Academic Centre competition of architecture ideas was announced in summer 2010. The first part on the design project of the UL Academic Centre was concluded in August 5 with five proposals submitted. In the second part of the competition seven projects were nominated, out of which five architecture groups prepared their proposals. „The competition of the designs has been concluded and now still there are discussions, who out of three winners will further perform the draft project. It should be ready by March-April 2011, leaving the rest of time for the development of technical project. As soon as the architectural competition results are announced, the construction works should start in the spring of 2012 and last for two years. In its turn, the preparatory work should be completed in the spring-summer of 2014, and the first building should be ready to open on September 1, 2014,” says I. Muiznieks. „We hope that we will find possibilities to implement also other visions for the development of Tornkalns. We would like to see also other faculty buildings and scientific institutions in the place.” The first building, Natural and Health Sciences Academic Centre, intended for a large complex of auditoriums, will serve as a basis for the further territory development. Describing the works submitted to the design competition, we can notice a tendency towards transformable lecture-rooms with multifunctional premises, meeting the needs of various student groups, providing access from various sides, and ensuring accessibility to different faculties. The lecture-rooms are not intended to be attached to a certain faculty. To satisfy the needs of separate faculties and study programmes, laboratories will be arranged.  „One of the awarded projects envisaged a great hall on the ground floor and proposed the idea that lecture-rooms should be underground. It seemed a wonderful idea liked by everyone; however, it should be studied for finacial feasibility. This idea envisaged one common hall – atrium - in the middle of the building, as it can be seen in the new building of Tallin University, Estonia,” says I. Muiznieks. „Other submitted works did not offer such united solution in the middle of the building, but there were other proposals, for example, populated roof covering and other common rooms for auxiliary needs. In the final part of the competition only the Latvian architecture groups participated. In general, there were no completely unseen and inexperienced applicants. The current projects are realistic proposals, especially for the creating of the first part of the natural and health sciences corpus.” The design competition can be viewed more as a competition of ideas and proposals, while in sketch project architects propose their definite solutions, which correspond to precisely distributed and measured square metres of the premises and facades. Not only lecture-rooms should be transformable, but also study laboratories should be adjustable to various types of research work – both long- and short-term research. The laboratories should be equiped with modern utilities. The new complex of buildings should solve also the problem of office type premises, which has always been topical for the University. „The work places should provide comfortable life space both for students, doctorants and lecturers, so that everyone could find a place for peaceful and creative work,” emphasizes Science Pro-rector. New and effective, but not expensive and overplanned In higher education, the formation of interdisciplinary study programmes is actively developing, considering the needs in the labour market and necessity to develop individual knowledge and skills in the context of various disciplines. „Due to the fact that currently the University has a fragmented structure, it is very difficult to create and implement interdisciplinary study programmes both physically and theoretically. However, it should be noted that interdisciplinarity in the study process becomes even more topical, crossing the borders of separate fields,” explains Professor Indrikis Muiznieks. „As an example, nature scientists should be able also to write and express themselves in a literally correct way, which doesn’t always come so easily. It is one thing. Furthermore, achievements of natural sciences will be beneficial if they have legal, economically justified and socially understandable reasoning, which is possible only if the nature scientist is ready to interact with social sciences. Currently, the University departaments are separated not only by idea or budget distribution, but also simply by territory, and it is difficult for them to create co-operation links, although there are also some successful cases. To my mind, exceptions should become daily practice. The new presently carried out solution of the premises should create also new opportunities.” Up till now, the spacial fragmentation of infrastructure of the University of Latvia impeded such basic University functions as study work, scientific and innovation activities, cooperation with entrepreneurs and social partners. Those premises, which are currently managed by the University, are either inappropriate or outdated and need renovation, the costs of which would exceed constructing new buildings. „Despite the fact that the University of Latvia is not only the biggest university in Latvia, but also in the Baltic States, there are only two buildings which are built specially to the needs of the University and in the meantime are the oldest buildings of the University: In Raina and Kronvalda Boulevards. All other premises have been adapted, rebuilt and originally have never been intended for the needs of the university. Thus, it is more costly to adapt the premises rather than build completely new and appropriate buildings,” explains I. Muiznieks. „Reconstruction of an old building, corresponding to the new demands, costs approximately 1000 lats per one square meter, whereas a new building costs approximately 700 – 800 lats per one square meter. Besides, such kind of reconstruction actually may be disrespect towards our cultural herritage.” If the infrastructure of the University of Latvia were not substantially improved, Latvia could not compete with other countries in higher education, and its export and scientific offer would not be competitive, even in comparision with neighbouring Estonia and Lithuania.  Academic example of „green” energy The long-awaited project is intended not only as a solution for effective use of the premises in academic environment, but also for application of modern energy-saving technologies. „With this building our University wants to show and prove that new ideas and energy technologies are actually utilizable. There are several versions. It is likely that geothermal earth energy will be used or the energy produced from the River Daugava. It will definitely help to boost energy effieciency of buildings. Maybe, this time solar battery or wind generator are not appropriate choices. However, the designing and arranging of a building, even its sky direction can greatly affect energy efficiency,” explains Professor I. Muiznieks. Apart from this, the projecting should forsee parking-places, bicycle tracks and parking places, and other conditions. In the distant future it is planned to attach also student hostels or dormitories, as well as other buildings necessary to social life, for example, canteens, laundries, etc. to the complex of academic buildings. The additional value to the place is the Railway Museum, where different cultural and entertainment events are often held, as well as Arkadijas Park, a recreation place with nearby sports complex. The discussions were also about a shuttle train to improve the transport links, in case there are many people travelling from Tornkals to Riga Railway Station.  „In many places around the world there is still a tendency to create student and university campuses as separate villages. Once also here, in Riga, existed several projects of a village that is separated from the capital, and located in Darzini, in Salaspils, and later – Kleisti. The model applied in the USA would envisage the guard and fence around the campus. In fact, the central complex of Moscow State University has the same model. Another example is Germany with its university complexes built 30-40 years ago. These complexes have a structure separated from the rest of the urban environment, although it is not so strictly limited as in the USA university centres,” says Science Pro-rector. „To my mind, this tendency is slowly decreasing. It is more likely that the university will be integrated within urban environment, as it is planned in Tornkalns. Speaking about Tornkalns, we had no intention to draw boundaries or separate the campus from the surrounding environment, but to use all nearby urban infrastructure, as well as private gardens, in order to integrate the University campus within the city.” When the development of Tornkalns territory is completed, the building of Raina Boulevard 19 will still retain its functions, serving as a place for legal science students and the whole management and administration of the University. The Physics and Mathematics Study Centre will continue its work in Zellu Street. By developing cooperation with the Riga Graduate School of Law in 13 Albert Street and Stockholm School of Economics in Riga in 4 Strelnieku Street, and in 10 Albert Street, the University of Latvia together with the neighbours is going to establish a University Union Centre of Excellence for the studies of international rights, economic relations and politics. Undoubtedly, the University located on the left bank of the Daugava will stimulate creating new Riga centre in the area of Tornkalns, hindered by the current economic downfall. It is clear that in a few years this project will become even more topical.


Translated by students of the professional study programme Translator of the University of Latvia.