The architects visited Rīga's Skanste neighborhood and were introduced to the the development plans for its financial and public part, New Hanza City, where the Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art will be built.
They also speed-dated several local architecture, urban planning and design practices that had applied for cooperation in drafting the design for the contemporary art museum.
The architecture firms shortlisted are: Adjaye Associates (UK), Architects Lahdelma & Mahlamäki (Finland), Caruso St John Architects (UK), Henning Larsen Architects (Denmark), Neutelings Riedijk Architects (Netherlands), wHY (US), and Sauerbruch Hutton (Germany).
The competition is scheduled to last until May, while in autumn there'll be an exhibition organized for the public to get acquainted with the submitted proposals.
Read more about the shortlisted architecture firms here.
The €30m project to build a contemporary art museum attempts to fill a blank spot on the national cultural landscape. It's being financed by private rather than state money with the major contributions from the ABLV Charitable Foundation (linked to ABLV Bank) and the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, which regularly gives grants to arts projects.
The museum will be located in a former railway works, fairly near the existing Arena Riga sports and concert venue. The "invited competition" is run by UK consultancy firm Malcolm Reading Consultants.
The organizers hope to have it open to the public on November 18, 2021.
