Hanzas Spire
Riga, Latvia
The 18,000 square metre mixed-use development will occupy a triangular site next to Skonto football stadium, just outside the Old Town of Riga (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and adjacent to historic Riga Fire Station. The design will feature class A office spaces, ground floor retail opportunities and a rooftop restaurant, in addition to creating a public area in front of the building.
The building's distinct form was dictated by the triangular shape of the site and the city's historic skyline; the building's height will vary from 6 storeys on the side facing the Old Town, to comply with the average city centre building height, extending to 13 storeys towards the taller, modern, part of the city. Inspired by the historic skyline of Riga, the "spire" concept of the building's design is a contemporary homage to the famous spires belonging to Riga's medieval churches.
The project will offer public access throughout; the proposed rooftop restaurant will feature an open terrace overlooking the football pitch and with views of the Old Town skyline. Meanwhile, the front of the building will be raised to highlight the main entrance and create an open public piazza, enclosed by the attractive row of mature, pre-established trees that extend along the road.
To reduce the environmental impact, a hybrid structure of steel columns combined with timber compound beams and prefabricated concrete slabs is proposed. The façades of the tower will be fully glazed on all sides, with a double diagonal grid reminiscent of the folk pattern used in traditional Latvian embroidery.
Key features of the proposed design include:
● "Spire" concept inspired by the city's historic skyline and determined by its historic surroundings
● Varied height from 24 to 49 metres
● Public terrace overlooking the stadium and Old Town
● Public piazza in front of the building
● Part glulam structure
● Glazed façade representing traditional Latvian pattern
The project has an estimated budget of €25 million.
The building's distinct form was dictated by the triangular shape of the site and the city's historic skyline; the building's height will vary from 6 storeys on the side facing the Old Town, to comply with the average city centre building height, extending to 13 storeys towards the taller, modern, part of the city. Inspired by the historic skyline of Riga, the "spire" concept of the building's design is a contemporary homage to the famous spires belonging to Riga's medieval churches.
The project will offer public access throughout; the proposed rooftop restaurant will feature an open terrace overlooking the football pitch and with views of the Old Town skyline. Meanwhile, the front of the building will be raised to highlight the main entrance and create an open public piazza, enclosed by the attractive row of mature, pre-established trees that extend along the road.
To reduce the environmental impact, a hybrid structure of steel columns combined with timber compound beams and prefabricated concrete slabs is proposed. The façades of the tower will be fully glazed on all sides, with a double diagonal grid reminiscent of the folk pattern used in traditional Latvian embroidery.
Key features of the proposed design include:
● "Spire" concept inspired by the city's historic skyline and determined by its historic surroundings
● Varied height from 24 to 49 metres
● Public terrace overlooking the stadium and Old Town
● Public piazza in front of the building
● Part glulam structure
● Glazed façade representing traditional Latvian pattern
The project has an estimated budget of €25 million.
