Miera Street in Riga is designed with tram and car traffic in mind, but its crafty shops and cosy cafes attract an increasing number of cyclists and pedestrians, which often leads to a conflict on the rather narrow pavement. For the last 4 years we have been actively advocating a more humane approach to street and public space design in Riga.
_
_
To prove that the street can be a space for both effective mobility and social life, we built a 14m–long street section on a scale 1:1 with wider sidewalks and a bicycle lane in each direction. The mock–up was built in 3 days and remained in place for a week. We used this time to discuss street design with passers–by, local residents and businessmen, discovering an effective method of involving public in the design process — no one can pass through a vividly blue space without wondering about its purpose.
The meaning of the Latvian word «Mierīgi» is — peacefully, easily.
_
Author Fine Young Urbanists — Evelina Ozola, Toms Kokins
Location Riga, Latvia
Year 2014
Client* self–initiated / Miera Street Republic
Partners Riga 2014 European Capital of Culture, Survival Kit 6
Construction team** Guntis Jasotis, Elvijs Jamonts, Nauris Lārmanis, Oto Ozols, Ivars
Jankovskis, Edijs Vucēns, Evelina Ozola, Toms Kokins
Photos Kaspars Kursišs (except the «before» photos by Toms Kokins)
* The project was self–initiated, and we were backed by a local NGO, Miera Street Republic.
** The construction was carried out by two contracted builders and a group of volunteers.
