Redevelopment of Torņakalns district

Timeframe

2009-2021

Description

Before 2005, the surroundings of the Torņakalns Railway Station were used for private gardens. Afterwards, the use of territory changed - Torņakalns was chosen as a place for building a campus of the University of Latvia. The campus development project began in 2009, with the technical design works starting in September 2013. The first building — the Academic Centre of Natural Sciences was finished and commissioned on 28 August 2015.

The campus is located at 1 Jelgavas Street on the left bank of River Daugava, on a 4.5 hectare (45 000 m²) land lot belonging to the University of Latvia. Old Riga is just a 15 minutes’ walk away right across the bridge. There is one bus route passing the campus directly, and a large choice of public transport routes (buses, trams, trolleybuses) passing by the National Library of Latvia building only 6-minute walk away. This busy stop includes also a bus headed to/from Riga International Airport, which is approximately 25-minute drive away. There is also Torņakalns train station 7-minutes walk away from the campus, providing convenient connections to Riga agglomeration cities, such as Olaine, Jelgava and Jurmala. In its current phase, the campus features also a parking space for 100 cars (including 4 parking spaces for the handicapped) and 200 bicycles.

The campus will be developed on a 70 000 m² land lot belonging to the University of Latvia with the total floor area of the study and research buildings estimated to be 70 000 m². The Science Center will be similar in size to the Academic Center of Natural Sciences, with floor space of 20 000 m².  The Centre of Humanities and Social Sciences will be the largest building on the campus - with 30 000 m² floor space, approximately 8000 students and a separate building volume housing a large auditorium with 550-700 seats.  Student housing will provide 2500-3000 beds. The total planned number of people on the campus is approximately 15 000 students and 1800 personnel.

Objectives

Conversion of area for private gardens into a high quality higher education and research center for 15 000 students and 1800 researchers.

Methods

The following methods were used:

• Interviews,
• focus groups,
• expert meetings.

Stakeholders were involved in the planning and building stage of the campus area.

Outcomes

Revised campus development plan and campus design guidelines.