EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Markets and Companies, Railways, Real Estate, Transport

The two second-place finishers are Latvia's Outofbox (in cooperation with RUUME Arhitekti, Vektors T, E.Danisevska Birojs and Landshape) and a design firm from Denmark ('PLH Arkitekter A/S in cooperation with COWI A/S), and both will get a prize of EUR 45,000.

Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas (European Rail Lines) will hold talks with both companies to arrive at the best solution.

Given the complexity of the project, the fifteen sketch designs of the Rail Baltica bridge and transport hub in downtown Riga submitted for the competition is a very remarkable number, the jury said earlier. Construction is to start by 2022.

The international jury evaluating the projects included architect Julia Bolles-Wilson, urban planning expert Jonathan Kendall, architects Andis Silis and Egons Berzins, Culture Ministry's expert Janis Dripe, State Cultural Monument Protection Inspectorate's head Juris Dambis, Riga City Council's City Development Department official Aigars Kuskis, Riga Construction Board's chief architect Viesturs Bruzis, Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas Technical Department Director Janis Eiduks, Latvijas Dzelzcels Real Estate Directorate's official Eva Kalvina, Transport Ministry's Deputy State Secretary and Eiropas Dzelzcela Linijas board member Dins Merirands.

At the beginning of July this year, Eiropas Dzelcela Linijas, implementing the 1st stage of the Rail Baltica project in Latvia, announced an open international sketch design competition for construction of the Rail Baltica bridge and complex development of the central multi-modal public transport hub in Riga. The competition territory covers 14 hectares and encompasses the historic central railroad station of Riga, the embankment from Dzirnavu Street to Krasta Street, and the planned Rail Baltica bridge over the River Daugava.