Viskali, a community in search of a new quality of life

Located at the intersection of 5 districts of Riga, Viskaļi opened the doors in 2019. After some fundamental renovation work, the building, which had previously housed the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Transport and Aeronautics of Riga Technical University, was reborn to new life.

Nowadays Viskaļi is the largest creative community in Latvia, bringing together more than 200 entrepreneurs, artists, activists, social workers and other residents.

By concluding a 25-year lease agreement with Riga Technical University, the goal in Viskaļi is to create a social innovation incubator, putting the improvement of the quality of life for everyone at the center. People are carrying out their activities based on their values and the principles of the social and circular economy.

With 15,000 square meters of available space, the huge soviet-style structure is well suited to hosting workshops, offices, classes, events and more. 

Only a few years after the start of the project, the community living in Viskaļi had already set the direction for the development of a long-term project. The COMEON EU project provided the opportunity to gather the voices and expectations of the first residents, in a reportage by SMK Factory.