CO-CREAT[ED]

 By Paula Cukura (Free Riga column for co-creat[ed])

This article explores the “doughnut economics” model as a moral and practical compass for rethinking social well-being within ecological limits. Through the lens of the Viskaļi Institute for Quality of Life Design, it argues for post-growth transformation rooted in social economy, resilience, and innovation. Drawing on both global research and local action, it advocates for socially-driven, community-based experimentation as key to navigating Latvia’s social and environmental crises—and calls for a collective redefinition of what it means to live a good life.

By Marija Katrīna Dambe (Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, co-creat[ed])

This essay calls for a paradigm shift in architecture and spatial practice, away from the obsession with new construction and toward the careful reuse of existing buildings. Drawing from Latvia’s built environment - marked by Soviet-era legacies, depopulation, and dereliction - it argues that architecture should begin not from a blank slate but from collective memory, material care, and social responsibility. Advocating for policies that prioritize adaptation over demolition, it positions architecture as a collaborative platform for community resilience in the face of climate and social crises.

 By Brunis Mārtiņš Ķibilds

This in-depth study examines the spatial, political, and economic conditions necessary for the sustainable development of alternative cultural venues in Riga. Often functioning as informal “third places,” these sites play a vital role in community life but face challenges related to zoning, gentrification, and urban planning. Drawing on planning theory (notably Jane Jacobs and Richard Sennett) and international best practices, the article proposes governance models and spatial strategies to support cultural diversity, walkability, and community-rooted cultural infrastructure across the city—not just in its center.

By Elizabete Dreimane

This article explores the underestimated potential of cardboard as an innovative and sustainable construction material. It combines historical analysis, technical research, and case studies—from Shigeru Ban’s architectural work to French firm Bat’IPAC’s developments—to demonstrate the ecological, thermal, and economic advantages of cardboard in both temporary and permanent structures. While Latvia has yet to adopt cardboard in construction widely, the article argues for its inclusion in climate-conscious architecture and modular design, urging for local experimentation, policy adaptation, and public education.

 By Elīna Zandere

This article explores the emotional and symbolic dimensions of gentrification, focusing on the moment when urban development transforms a place to the point it no longer serves its original community. Drawing on European case studies and the Latvian context, it analyzes “the threshold of change” as a sensory, cultural, and emotional tipping point—beyond mere displacement. Through examples like Riga’s Tallinas ielas kvartāls and international comparisons (e.g., Rog Factory, Lavapiés, Chinatown), it illustrates how communities experience alienation, even before physical eviction occurs. The piece argues for policy and design approaches that protect emotional belonging, symbolic memory, and collective agency.

 By Tīna Šipkēvica

This study examines how historic cemeteries - especially the case of Lielie Kapi in Riga - can be meaningfully integrated into modern urban life. As green spaces with memorial value, historic cemeteries often fall into neglect once burial activities cease. Yet in dense neighborhoods lacking parks, they increasingly serve as sites for recreation, contemplation, and daily transit. Based on fieldwork and community surveys, the article highlights the tension between sacred space and public use, arguing for thoughtful planning, signage, and landscape design that respects their cultural, emotional, and historical significance while accommodating urban needs.

 By Elīza Brice

Through the lens of Lucavsala’s emerging community garden project “Community Design,” this article explores participatory gardening as a practice of urban care, resistance, and co-creation. Combining local and international examples, it reflects on gardens as democratic spaces and instruments of social imagination. It examines the power of collaborative “sitting” and “growing” as metaphors and methods for reclaiming urban agency—where furniture design, storytelling, and interdisciplinary events transform vacant land into spaces of rooted belonging and speculative urban futures.

By Ailenda Krivicka

This article investigates the evolving role of community centers in shaping sustainable, inclusive, and identity-rich urban neighborhoods. Grounded in both European best practices and local experiences in Riga, it explores how architecture and participatory design can respond to the social, spatial, and cultural needs of contemporary city dwellers. Multifunctional and adaptive, these centers are conceived as “third spaces” where communities meet, grow, and co-create - bringing together civic infrastructure, public life, and emotional attachment to place.

 By Artūrs Dāvids Bieziņš

This essay calls for a profound transformation in architectural practice, from top-down authorship to inclusive mediation. Challenging the profession’s traditional boundaries, it positions the architect as a social actor and facilitator, actively engaging communities and navigating complex socio-political and ecological contexts. Drawing from international case studies like Raumlabor Berlin and architectural exhibitions, the piece advocates for participatory processes, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the democratization of space-making as tools to rebuild trust, equity, and relevance in the built environment.

By Lūcija Ceicāne & Staņislavs Šeiko

This article challenges the anthropocentric vision of urban environments by exploring how animals—beavers, stray cats, gulls, and crows—actively shape city life in Latvia. Drawing on posthumanist and multispecies studies, the authors propose the concept of the city as a “cosmozoopolis”: a shared space where human and non-human animals co-create routines, infrastructures, and even political debates. Through examples from Riga, the piece reflects on urban planning, moral agency, and the potential for truly multispecies citizenship in contemporary cities.