Architectural group
THE "JELGAVAS GYMNASIUM" PROJECT
- Function: State Gymnasium
- Location: Jelgava (Latvia)
- Area: 1,968.79 m²
- Status: Sketch project, 2023.
- Architects: Yevhen Danylenko, Serhiy Lemekhov, Artem Fredyuk, Yuliia Shulevska, Leonid Shulevsky, and the „Livland Group” team (Latvia)
There is always room for architectural art in life!
The concept for the reconstruction of the territory of the State Gymnasium of Spidola in Jelgava (Latvia) is a project that we created in collaboration with Latvian colleagues as part of an architectural competition last winter (early 2023).
By the way, I'll tell you right away that our project proposal took first place in the competition!!!:)
The main motto of the competition was the words of Cicero: «If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.»
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The task of the competition was to place the following main objects on the territory of the gymnasium:
- Library building with a sports hall, assembly hall, and classrooms, conveniently connected to the existing gymnasium building.
- Open stadium for sports competitions with stands.
- Two volleyball and one basketball court.
- Obstacle course according to NATO standards.
- School plaza for school-wide and public events.
- Parking for gymnasium teachers and guests.
We have placed all of this on the master plan according to the task, utilizing the site's capabilities to the fullest.
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The visual image of the library building with a sports hall is a concise embodiment of the philosophy of symbolism in Latvian culture. Spīdola is an image that symbolizes the spiritual strength of the people and literally translates as “Shining.” We have recreated the energy carried by this image through the combination of natural materials: brick and metal. Brick is the primary material, representing stability that has stood the test of time, through the ages. Stainless steel details, such as the entrance portal, embody light and the future.
First floor room explanation
1.01 Sports hall – 311.52 m²
1.02 Auditorium for 110 people – 131.92 m²
1.03 Inventory Storage – 42.65 m²
1.04 Dressing room with walk-in closet – 10.72 m²
1.05 Male WC – 11.80 m²
1.06 WC Inclusive – 6.52 m²
1.07 WC Women's – 11.8 m²
1.08 Locker Room 1 – 24.21 m²
1.09 Locker Room 2 – 27.39 m²
1.10 WC Inclusive – 3.93 m²
1.11 Cleaning supply room – 4.62 m²
1.12 Corridor - 70.85 m²
1.13 Reception area with cloakroom – 17.22 m²
1.14 Security room – 15.06 m²
1.15 Kitchen – 19.07 m²
1.16 Server Room – 15.06 m²
1.17 Electrical panel room – 12.55 m²
1.18 Stairs No. 1 – 27.49 m²
1.19 Sports equipment storage – 11.39 m²
1.20 Staircase #2 – 11.15 m²
1.21 Elevator
1.22 Universal recreational space – 146.35 m²
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Second-floor room explanation
2.01 Sports hall. Double height – 266.87 m²
2.02 Sports hall. Spectator balcony – 44.66 m²
2.03 Reading Room – 244.05 m²
2.04 WC Men's – 11.80 m²
2.05 WC Inclusive – 6.52 m²
2.06 WC Women – 11.80 m²
2.07 Classroom equipment room – 37.37 m²
2.08 Corridor - 77.30 m²
2.09 Universal Recreational Space – 142.86 m²
2.10 Library Classroom - 52.56 m²
2.11 Quiet reading room - 17.57 m²
2.12 Psychologist's office – 15.06 m²
2.13 Staircase #1 – 28.19 m²
2.14 Stairs No. 2 – 22.71 m²
2.15 Transition to an existing gymnasium building – 56.20 m²
The architectural solution is based on combining different functional spaces under one roof, creating new connections between learning, sports, and leisure. Thanks to an elevated walkway, the library's educational area is safely and efficiently connected to the gymnasium.
The school square is a space for community engagement and the gymnasium's main public events. This space is recessed relative to the main ground level of the site, creating a unique sense of intimacy and coziness. Green terraces with a garden overlooking a stage are located here. The stage can function both indoors (for the assembly hall) and outdoors, expanding the range of public events.
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The sports block includes an indoor sports hall with two tiers of spectator seating, flowing into outdoor sports areas with courts for volleyball, basketball, and a running track with grandstands. The territory has a flexible connection between the gymnasium buildings, allowing for optimization of the educational process and the holding of competitions or public events.
During daylight hours, the library's main space, the reading room, is filled with soft light from the large stained-glass windows on the northeast facade. The perforated brick facade simultaneously protects the building from direct sunlight and reveals the play of shadows from the brick veil on the southeast facade. In the evening, the library emits light outward, becoming a visual beacon for passersby.
We believe that the new project will be implemented, and the new gymnasium complex will create a unique platform for the development of talents and cultural activity in Latvia – a country that upholds values and helps Ukraine as much as possible in these historic times.
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