BESIX is currently realising the new central station of Riga (Latvia) that will, once completed, serve the Rail Baltica high-speed train, connecting the Baltic States to the rest of the European network. To brighten up the site’s fence and boost the community’s engagement, the BERERIX consortium decided to launch an artistic competition in which participants were asked to creatively depict their future Rail Baltica train in Riga. The winning artworks are now being displayed on the site’s fence near the international bus station.
Lively neighbourhood
The Rail Baltica Central Station project is part of the larger Rail Baltica project that will integrate the Baltic States in the European rail network. BESIX, Rizzani de Eccher and SIA RERE BŪVE are in charge of the design and construction of the new central station building, a major railway bridge over the Daugava river, the railway embankments and track works.
The new central station is located in the middle of a lively neighbourhood and will play an important role in strengthening the position of Riga within the European public transport network. Also, with the international bus station being located next to the site, a large number of people move past it every day. That’s why the consortium proposed to not leave the construction fence empty, but to make it attractive and joyful by displaying artworks of Latvian children.
My future Rail Baltica in Riga
To achieve their objective, the consortium came up with the idea of organising a creative drawing competition among children and young people in Latvia. The theme was ‘My future Rail Baltica train in Riga’. Children and young people were encouraged to think about and reflect on what the centre of Latvia’s capital city could look like in the near future, when the new Rail Baltica high-speed train runs through it. They had to express themselves creatively, reflecting on the role the train will play in their future daily lives, in the city of Riga and in their country as a whole.
In total, the project received more than 500 artworks from children and young people up to 16 years old living all over Latvia. A carefully selected jury, including artist and children's book illustrator Gita Treice and Executive Director of BERERIX Guntis Āboltiņš- Āboliņš, picked three winners in each of the age groups to be displayed on the site’s fence on the side of the Riga International Bus Station.
In addition to their artworks being displayed on-site, the winners also received gift cards from several amusement parks and leisure venues in Latvia. Each gift also came with a branded BERERIX reusable water bottle and souvenirs from Riga International Bus Station.
Strengthening community feeling and stakeholders relations
The competition was a great way to engage the public in the project and to make them feel part of Rail Baltica. With the initiative, the consortium wanted to inspire the community and spark interest to get to know more about the project. In addition, the initiative also served as a platform to strengthen relations with stakeholders, such as the Riga International Bus Station, which is located right next to the site.
