Uģis Bratuškins

Barriers for Use of Wood in Architecture: The Latvian Case

Abstract Wood in general is a traditional building material in Northern Europe including Latvia and other Baltic countries, but nowadays it is used less in Latvia than in other EU countries. There are many forests in Latvia and a well-developed timber industry. Latvian society is enthusiastic about eco-materials, and qualified architects and engineers are ready to work with timber structures. However, wood is mainly used for small buildings and residential construction, but minimally in public and multi-apartment buildings. The study was carried out among architects and other stakeholders in Latvia to analyze their impact on the selection of building material. Thirty-eight interviews were conducted, questionnaire among 73 respondents carried out, and discussion in a focus group was held to find out the main reason and barriers for using wood for buildings in Latvia less than in other EU countries. During the research the main influencing factors for choosing wood constructions were identified and seven main barriers formulated. The study results were compared with the results of similar studies in other countries. Two of the seven barriers in Latvia – stereotypes and legislation – were not mentioned in other studies, nevertheless, these are the most frequently mentioned obstacles in the Latvian case.

Urban Communication: The Uses of Public Space in Riga Historical City Centre

Abstract Expansion of cities and their impact areas extend also the semantic boundaries of urban ecentres, while public open space in the city centres maintain attractivity, especially within the medieval cores. The diverse functional processes that satisfy the needs of all users of urban space in general, on the one hand carry the function of circulation or communication, and on the other – relaxation or recreation. Elements of spatial organization and environment planning essential for the realization of each function differ, and depending on which of the functional processes prevails in the particular place, open space acquires either priority of communication or of recreation. The paper focuses on the interests and needs of main groups of users of the historical city centre – Riga Old Town, states availability of adequate space, as well as sets the criteria of high-quality public open space.