Science and Innovation Centre in Ventspils was designed as a union of architecture and landscape. Instead of proposing a landmark on the bridge axis, we leave it open and inviting.
Name: VIZIUM
Purpose: Science and Innovation Centre
Location: Rūpniecības str. 2, Ventspils, Latvia
Area: 6 653 m2
Competition: 2016, 1st prize
Project: 2016-2019
Construction: 2019-2022
Client: Municipal Authority of Ventspils City
Architects: Audrius Ambrasas, Vilma Adomonytė, Jonas Motiejūnas, Viktorija Rimkutė, Justas Jankauskas
Team: Juris Poga, Astra Poga (Arhitekta J.Pogas Birojs)
Structure: Aldis Grasmanis (BKB)
Project manager: Juris Poga
Photography: Norbert Tukaj
The silhouettes of the building and the hill osculate here. New public spaces such as the science hill mounting up from the plain, an open-air roof terrace and an overlook spot are designed for both the locals and city guests. The building designed divides the site in two.
The Western part accommodates the vehicle access and parking, while the technical transport access is separated from the arrival of visitors – it gets to the building from the South. The Eastern part of the site is shaped by the hill, which is a place for picnics and openair events, providing views on the river.
The hill leads to the roof terrace with access to the public facilities (café, conference hall and the access to the main lobby) zone on the first floor. The further cognition of both the building and the city is continuing along the sloping roof towards the overlook opening panoramic views. The building is divided in two for the functional reasons – the Science centre makes the low part of the volume, whilst the Innovation centre takes the 6 floors of the rising part.
