In June 2023, the new building of shopping centre “Origo” and business centre “Origo One”, developed by “Linstow Baltic” and landscaped by architects from SIA “ALPS ainavu darbnīca”, won the national jury’s award in the “Outdoor Space” category at the “Latvian Landscape architecture Awards 2022” awards ceremony.

The “Latvian Landscape Architecture Award” (LLAA) is a showcase of the best works by Latvian landscape architecture professionals that is devised as a contemporary set of events that is open to the diversity of the industry. National and international jury members from various industries evaluated 57 applications, awarding prizes in three categories: Outdoor Space, Processes and Personalities.

 “Being awarded the “Latvian Landscape Architecture Award” is testimony to our selfless teamwork and efforts to create sustainable projects of importance to the urban environment of Latvia’s capital city, Riga. We are delighted that our work is appreciated by industry professionals, because in developing shopping centre “Origo” and business centre “Origo One”, our main priority was the well-being of Rigans and guests visiting the city, environmentally friendly and sustainable technical solutions, and their aesthetics and integration into the urban environment,” says Evija Majevska, the Commercial Director of “Linstow Baltic” and shopping centre “Origo”.

At the same time, Evija Majevska adds that LLAA serves as a direct evaluation of the functionally, aesthetically, and sustainably successful outdoor solutions in “Origo One” Square, on the platform side of s/c “Origo” Square, five green terraces and the green balcony line at 4th floor level along Elizabetes Street. Part of this outdoor space is open to the public, whereas another part is only accessible to “Origo One” office tenants and their visitors.

The LLAA are intended to foster understanding among the public and specialists in other industries about outdoor space as an important point of contact between aesthetics and the social environment, as well as an element of sustainable development. It is the task of the LLAA to identify and promote works created and processes initiated by landscape architecture industry professionals, to honour outstanding personalities in Latvian landscape architecture, and to consolidate understanding on the part of the public and professionals of the cultural-historical, aesthetic, ecological and social value of outdoor spaces.

The new “Origo” building in Riga, on Satekles Street 2b, was opened in the spring of 2020. Its construction was facilitated by an investment of EUR 63 million. The lower three floors of s/c “Origo” new building contain comfortable premises for retailers and service providers, whereas the top three floors of the building are home to business centre “Origo One” with innovative Class A offices. The emphasis of the project is on compliance with high energy efficiency, working environment and sustainability standards, enabling the developer “Linstow Baltic” to utilise nature and environmentally friendly solutions to provide employees and visitors to the office centre with a healthy and pleasant environment.

The project has received the highest awards in Latvia’s largest and most influential construction and sustainability competitions, as well as at Baltic level. The extended shopping centre “Origo” and business centre “Origo One” won 1st place in the “Latvian Building of the Year Award 2020” competition in the “New Public Building” category, along with the main prize in the 2021 “Riga Architecture Annual Awards” competition organized by the City of Riga Architect’s Office. The project has also received special recognition for being an organic, harmonious and multifunctional addition to the urban environment in Central Riga, as well as a complex architectural environmental solution, respecting universal design and environmental accessibility requirements. Thanks to the sustainable construction solutions chosen for the building, it was honoured with 1st place in the “Sustainability in Architecture, Construction and Design 2021” competition in the “Most Sustainable Building” category. These awards reflect the significant contribution and positive impulse that the building has made to the development of the whole of the neighbourhood’s infrastructure, including by enhancing the solutions incorporated within the Rail Baltica project. At the end of 2021, shopping centre “Origo” was recognized as the “Best shopping centre in the Baltics” for which it received a prize at the “Baltic Real Estate Awards 2021”.

Photo: Linstow Baltic, ALPS ainavu darbnīca, Latvijas Ainavu arhitektu asociācija /Agnese Ločmele