DAVID COOK ABOUT THE PROJECT

What was the biggest challenge in planning and later implementation?

David Cook: The project of the new music school in Ventspils has a very long history; 14 years passed from the competition to the completion in summer 2019. Achieving a level of continuity and consistency over this long period was without a doubt the greatest challenge. During those 14 years many changes and different goals were applied to the project. Understanding the peculiarities of the Latvian construction industry was also not without problems, but such challenges also contribute to the quality of our daily work as architects. Without such challenges, our work would be less fulfilling. The implementation was relatively uncomplicated with a construction time of around 24 months, which is quite quick in view of the complexity of the room design and the acoustic requirements for the concert hall.

What was the motivation for the chosen design or what was your intention?

David Cook: The original completion order included the conversion of Lielais laukums, a long-neglected windswept public square in the center of Ventspils town. The music school was proposed from the start as an integral part of a distinctive urban landscape, with the new topography framing a central public square. The expressive shape of the roof is an extension of this topography: As such, the building and its surroundings have always been seen as a cohesive ensemble and therefore cannot be viewed in isolation.