PREVIOUS STATE
Dzintari forest park is unique due to its location. Its 13 ha territory of nature base is located in the very centre of Jurmala city. A 200-year-old pine-tree growth and the protected biotops of bilberry bush are the greatest treasures of Dzintari forest park that, despite their location, have remained untouched over decades. The territory had the status of a forest park also in past, however, all it contained was three walking paths for the city inhabitants and guests to cross the forest on the way to beach. Dzintari forest park did not offer anything that would encourage a passer-by to spend time in this place and enjoy the beauty of seaside forest nature.
AIM OF THE INTERVENTION
Due to intensive development of public and residential objects around this nature base territory, the number of people visiting the territory significantly increased that, in the absence of proper infrastructure, could harm the nature valuables in the park. People began to tread new walking paths. Therefore, it became important to rearrange this place to correspond to the new situation and to include it into the overall system of the city’s infrastructure objects. The key aspect was to preserve the forest park’s original beauty and its distinctiveness from the surrounding city environment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERVENTION
The infrastructure objects are located evenly throughout the park and are connected with wooden board foot-path raised above the ground. The existing walking paths were reconstructed with cobble-stones. The most important active recreation element is the inline skating track in the middle of the park. Pedestrian bridge separates skater and pedestrian paths. The park also accommodates skate-board and street-ball grounds, children playground, cafes, sports inventory rental, lavatories and other buildings.
Modules system was selected as the most suitable principle for form-creation of the park’s building objects. Modules ramify like tree branches or roots, go around protected nature base elements and develop into foot-path structure that was created based on similar principles. Facades of building objects comprise separate planes inclined in different angles that significantly reduce the overall bulkiness of objects. Composite panels with polished aluminium surface are used for facade finishing. Vertical division of glass facades reflect the natural appearance of surrounding environment and dispel the park’s newly created building objects.
EVALUATION
Active recreation in natural environment becomes more and more popular among Latvia’s population. The newly created Dzintari forest park is a significant investment of Jurmala municipality in rearranging the city’s environment and promoting active life style. The reconstruction has resulted in a peculiar compromise between the functions of city infrastructure and the existing nature base valuables. The reconstructed park is very popular among Jurmala city inhabitants and guests.
