The reconstruction of the Household Building of the Art Academy of Latvia, as envisioned by the project "Improvement of Study Quality at the Art Academy of Latvia" (project No. 2010/0080/3DP/3.1.2.1.1/09/IPIA/VIAA/011), began in summer 2011. Once the reconstruction works will be completed, an additional set of premises will be made available to the students and faculty of the Academy. It will be a multifunctional edifice with a space specifically designed for multimedia studies - photo lab, video studio, exhibition and conference hall etc.
The edifice will have two floors with two separate sloping entrances that will make the building accessible to all users. In order to accomodate the relatively high 5 m ceiling and at the same time retain the historic look of the building, the foundations of the edifice were depened and currently extend 4 metres below ground level. In addition, a bored pile wall was built to secure the foundations of the adjacent substation transformer.
As the new premises are designed to carry especially heavy art objects, special attention is dedicated not only to the quality of the cemented surfaces, but also to the overall construction of the building.
During the reconstruction works of the Household Building, the courtyard engineering network underwent a thorough inspection, including underground duct video inspection. In accordance to the project, the reconstruction of engineering networks has been completed and the Household Building has been connected to the utility network.
In order to improve the electric power supply of the Art Academy of Latvia, the substation transformer was re-designed. In summer 2012 it is planned to switch to a three-phase power system.
Considering that in the future the Household Building will be used for study work, exhibitions and other public events, a store-room is being built for exhibition- and study-related items. Above ground the size of the store-room is rather limited – 2.5 m x 8.9 m, but the underground area is 92 sq m large with floor height of 3.4 m.
By now, the building’s walls, columns and the overhead cover have been completed. With the weather becoming milder, it will be possible to finish constructing the exterior concrete constructions.
Construction works are progressing according to schedule and the restoration of the Household Building shall be completed, as planned, in 2012. |
Reconstruction of the Household Building Underway 
