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Riga Circus reconstruction
Riga Circus reconstruction
Latvia
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Riga Circus reconstruction
Latvia
Firm
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2022
SIZE
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft
BUDGET
$5M - 10M
The architecture office NRJA (No Rules Just Architecture) has completed the first phase of Rīgas Cirks (Riga Circus) reconstruction at the end of 2022. In architectural and design solutions, NRJA has followed the principle of «adding by removing» — by revealing hidden historical layers, a sense of newness is created, while simultaneously embodying the 135 years of existence of the Rīgas Cirks building.
The reconstructed arena is an example of radical conservation — the architects have only peeled off the layers that were ready to detach themselves due to decay, not hiding any presumably unaesthetic elements behind cladding and not correcting apparently non–architectural details. The hidden dimension of the building — time — is revealed in a seemingly random way, relinquishing direct authorship over what to reveal and what to keep hidden. The accumulated historical cultural layers are the main source of the sensory experience in the rebuilt circus building.
The Rīgas Cirks building, which was designed in 1888 after the project of architect Johann Friedrich Baumann, is one of the oldest in Europe, the only permanent circus building in the Baltic states, as well as an architectural monument of national significance. It is built as a brick building with an arena, especially suited to circus numbers with horses, covered by an unheated dome 24 metres in diameter. Along with a change in the management of Rīgas Cirks in 2017, a change in the attitude towards the content of the circus also takes place — animals are no longer used for the shows. To reflect the substantive changes and prevent the critical technical condition of the building, an architectural competition for the restoration of the historic building and a vision for the development of the site was launched in 2018. The winning proposal by NRJA, developed in collaboration with the architect Ilze Mekša, envisages converting the circus into a multifunctional cultural site.
During the first phase of reconstruction, energy efficiency improvement measures have been carried out. The project’s main aim was to insulate the building, while preserving the historical architecture of Rīgas Cirks, and to carry out fundamental foundational works to ensure the functioning of the arena. As the historic dome metal structure has lost its bearing capacity, a parallel construction of a new column network and CLT panel dome was built, keeping the historic structure unloaded and exposed. The new dome is a particularly complex structure. The panels are interconnected with individually designed elements and form a spherical, self–supporting shape. The CLT panels not only provide the structural stability of the dome, but also create a smooth, solid internal plane that does not require further finishing and improves energy efficiency.
The reconstructed arena is an example of radical conservation — the architects have only peeled off the layers that were ready to detach themselves due to decay, not hiding any presumably unaesthetic elements behind cladding and not correcting apparently non–architectural details. The hidden dimension of the building — time — is revealed in a seemingly random way, relinquishing direct authorship over what to reveal and what to keep hidden. The accumulated historical cultural layers are the main source of the sensory experience in the rebuilt circus building.
The Rīgas Cirks building, which was designed in 1888 after the project of architect Johann Friedrich Baumann, is one of the oldest in Europe, the only permanent circus building in the Baltic states, as well as an architectural monument of national significance. It is built as a brick building with an arena, especially suited to circus numbers with horses, covered by an unheated dome 24 metres in diameter. Along with a change in the management of Rīgas Cirks in 2017, a change in the attitude towards the content of the circus also takes place — animals are no longer used for the shows. To reflect the substantive changes and prevent the critical technical condition of the building, an architectural competition for the restoration of the historic building and a vision for the development of the site was launched in 2018. The winning proposal by NRJA, developed in collaboration with the architect Ilze Mekša, envisages converting the circus into a multifunctional cultural site.
During the first phase of reconstruction, energy efficiency improvement measures have been carried out. The project’s main aim was to insulate the building, while preserving the historical architecture of Rīgas Cirks, and to carry out fundamental foundational works to ensure the functioning of the arena. As the historic dome metal structure has lost its bearing capacity, a parallel construction of a new column network and CLT panel dome was built, keeping the historic structure unloaded and exposed. The new dome is a particularly complex structure. The panels are interconnected with individually designed elements and form a spherical, self–supporting shape. The CLT panels not only provide the structural stability of the dome, but also create a smooth, solid internal plane that does not require further finishing and improves energy efficiency.
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