Alfrēda Ašenkampfa projektētās koka ēkas Āgenskalnā

• Authors: Plūmiņa Laura

Title variants

EN

Āgenskalns Wooden Buildings Designed by Alfred Aschenkampff

• Languages of publication: LV

Abstracts

EN

There is little information on the life and works of Riga architect Alfred Aschenkampff; however, his name features in almost all art history books dealing with Riga’s Art Nouveau buildings or the city’s history on the threshold of the 20th century. He designed one of the first Art Nouveau buildings in Riga – the apartment house at 7 Audēju Street – as well as pavilions for the 1901 Industry and Crafts Exhibition that was very significant in the history of Riga. When dealing with the Aschenkampff’s output in Riga, the wooden architecture of Āgenskalns in particular, new and important objects can be added to his few known works. In the late 19th – early 20th century, Riga saw economic growth and a booming number of inhabitants; as a result, the city spread out and the density of buildings increased too. In Āgenskalns at the time, several developmental trends are evident, both continuing the building tradition of previous centuries and reflecting the 19th century Western tendencies of urban planning. Buildings designed by Aschenkampff are situated along the old trade routes – Slokas and Kalnciema Streets – as well as in completely new quarters – on Kristapa, Sabiles, Melnsila and other streets. In the ten-year period from 1895 to 1905, nine buildings were constructed to Aschenkampff’s designs in Āgenskalns; eight of them have survived up to the present in various technical conditions. Comparing earlier designs with the buildings constructed after the turn of the century, transformations related to the advent of Art Nouveau in Riga are brightly evident. It has been assumed so far that Art Nouveau was very modest in Riga’s wooden architecture but Aschenkampff’s case proves that this statement cannot be applied to at least some architects. The wooden houses examined in the article show various possible scenarios for the buildings of this type – one had burned down, some are maintained in good condition and carefully repaired or restored while others are reconstructed beyond recognition. Therefore, Riga’s wooden architecture cannot be always assessed from the buildings’ present image, and original construction designs have to be consulted to grasp the architect’s ideas.

Keywords

EN

ALFRED ASCHENKAMPFF; WOODEN ARCHITECTURE; ĀGENSKALNS; MONUMENT PROTECTION; APARTMENT BUILDINGS; SWISS CHALET STYLE; ART NOUVEAU

• Publisher: Institute of Art History of the Latvian Academy of Art and Art History Research Support Foundation
• Journal: Makslas Vesture un Teorija
• Year: 2018
• Volume: 21
• Pages: 33-48

Contributors

author

Plūmiņa Laura

• Latvian Academy of Art, 13 Kalpaka Blvd, Riga LV-1867, Latvia