He a v y t ra ff ic z o n e
Slightly reconfigure traffic
Lift people up & connect them back to local environment
THE A
MEMORIAL
BALTIC
OF
PEACE
FOR
THE
FREE
WAY PEOPLE
OF
MEMORIAL
L AT V I A ,
LITHUANIAN,
AND
ESTONIA.
TA L L INN
R IGA
Viewing point of The Baltic Way Memorial
VILNIUS
C O NTI NU I N G T H E J O U R N EY OF FRE E DO M & I N D E P E N D ENCE
The term ‘Baltic’ stems from the name of the Baltic Sea. The word itself can be derived from many European language roots and therefore can have several meanings. The reference to “belt” is one such meaning, a notion of reaching out across the lands. A woven belt is also a symbol of the Baltic culture and worn on special occasions. Looking for other symbols that unify the three countries it comes apparent that maybe the Baltic States are looking for something of a symbol that they can call their own. Something that signifies their freedom and strength as sum of all parts. The Baltic Way demonstrated to the world that peaceful protests can have a positive impact. It wasn’t one person acting, it was the strength in numbers that ultimately gave people the courage to join together and act as one. This is what makes this event so intriguing. This competition is to design a memorial to honor the Baltic Way peaceful protest. The chosen site is in Riga, the capital of Latvia and is generally regarded as the nucleus of the Baltic States. The site is an unfortunately narrow and flanked by two lanes of traffic on either side. It doesn’t represent the ideals of peace and harmony and is dominated by the car. This site does have a
Vi e w of B a l ti c Wa y M em or ial on the pedestr ian br idge
strong sense of place for the local people. The roads are closed a couple of times a year for social gatherings. It is our intention to change the way people and cars interact with the whole intersection, essentially giving back the site to the pedestrian by lifting them up. The bridge reaches out in four directions, connecting to the plaza, the riverside, and the given site. Our intervention stems from three core elements: Journey, Embrace and Nature. These ideas are woven together to form a cohesive building element that represents the people of the Baltic States, past, present and future. With so much uncertainty in the political world, the journey that people took on August 23, 1989 is not over yet. This event symbolizes what can be done and how it should be done.The Path represents this idea of the people connecting throughout the lands, while demonstrating the core principle of uniting the three countries. The ‘path’ extends across the three countries, with ‘connections’ in each capital city creating an occupyable space in which people can reflect on past, present and the future. This intervention is obviously focusing on the connection in Riga.
Vi ew of the C afe ov er l ook i ng the D augav a R i v er
The people of the Baltic States have a strong rural connection. The project intends to bring the element of nature back to the core of the city. This can be achieved in two ways: creating a more peaceful place for people to interact and bringing an increase of plants and trees to the area. By elevating the path off the ground floor, the pedestrian gains heirachy in the space over the vehicle. Also pavers from across the three countries will be used to replace the existing tarmacked roads to encourage slower driving, meaning that the driver also has the opportunity to interact with the memorial and reflect in their own way for the remainder of their journey. The memorial is located on the bridge that is over the site. When standing in this specific area, the occupant can feel the power of the Baltic Way. The use of a corten steel wall with preforations in the shape of people holding hands is wrapped around the side of the bridge. The people once again remember their peaceful fight for Independence and how revolutionary it was. This memorial also continues along the Baltic Way path to extend its success of freedom into the future.
Vi e w o f t h e G i f t S h o p b e l o w t h e B a l t i c Wa y Me mo ri a l v i e w i n g p o i n t