The city of Jelgava reflects the typical situation in Latvia’s urban regions. It is the fourth largest town of the country with about 60,000 inhabitants. The successful economic development generates increasing demand for affordable housing.

This situation opens up the opportunity for new paths and innovative solutions – in addition to efforts for the renovation of the existing housing stock and further urban development. Long-standing international contacts have led to a collaboration between the Jelgava municipality, the municipal housing management company JNIP and the European housing cooperative LiM. The start-up phase was co-financed by the DBU Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (German Federal Environmental Foundation).

In a first construction phase an ensemble of several buildings with around 150 apartments will be realized. The housing project is intended to be exemplary for an energy-efficient and ecological approach, also because of its resource-saving wood-hybrid construction. On this basis, LiM will cooperate with Latvian and specialized international companies.

The distribution, size and floor plans of the apartments are still flexible and allow variability and adaptation to different user needs. Initially, the ideas will be discussed with target groups and local stakeholders. From this occasion, a platform of urban actors could emerge, that enables participatory processes and offers impulses for a future-oriented planning and building culture in Jelgava.

Project broschure en/lett