Danish-Latvian Exhibition ‘Microrayons Futures’ shows KADK Students’ Ideas for Renewal of Urban Areas in Riga
The Danish-Latvian exhibition “Microrayon Futures” was revealed on the 26th of October, 2016, at the City Council of Riga. Present were the Danish ambassador in Latvia Hans Brask, Head of “Office of the Riga City Architect” Gvido Princis as well as Simon Drewsen Holmberg, Director of the Danish Cultural Institute in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
The microrayons or microdistricts are large apartment block estates – housing an estimated 80 million people worldwide. In Riga, at least 65% of the residents reside in these microrayons.
Long integrated in the city and social fabric of urban life, many of these microrayons and buildings have just reached, or are about to reach, the end of their anticipated fifty year lifespans, raising important questions over their futures.
Developed by Danish students at the master’s program ‘Urbanism and Societal Change’ at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts School of Architecture, this exhibition presents several explorations into the challenges and opportunities of microrayon areas. The exhibition is focusing on the areas located in Riga: Purvciems, Imanta, as well as some areas in the historical centre.
The exhibition attempts to both unfold the general theme of the microrayons, its different typologies and so forth, as well as proposing interventions on the particular site specific settings.
The exhibition is supported by The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, Institute of Architecture, Urbanism & Landscape, Riga Municipal Agency “Office of the City Architect” and Danish Cultural Institute in Latvia.