Riga Wood

Shortly before the new school year started, the municipality of Ogre in Latvia opened a brand new sports complex at Ogre’s gymnasium. In the contest “Sustainability in Architecture Construction Design in the Baltics 2023”, organised by the Building Design and Construction Council, the sports complex was awarded 1st place in the category “Most Sustainable Project”. It was constructed by MONUM construction company.The multifunctional and energy-efficient sports hall has stationary and mobile tribunes, therefore providing space for up to 1700 spectators. The sports complex meets the requirements of the International Athletic Federation with four circular (200 meters) and six sprint tracks, a sector for the long jump, high jump, pole vault, and shot put. Also, in the centre of the hall, there are team sports courts suitable for basketball, floorball, tennis, volleyball and other games. On the second floor, the project's developers have built halls for a gym, gym classes and choreography. The building is complex and multifunctional, and four different Riga Wood birch plywood products have been applied here. Perforated Riga Decor and Riga Lacquer panels ensure excellent acoustics during sports activities, while Riga Paint gives an elegant touch to the lobby. Riga Ply has been used for various construction elements.“Riga Wood birch plywood products were chosen due to two main factors: it is a sustainable, renewable material with excellent technical properties and durable, with high wear resistance. Furthermore, in sports halls it is important to ensure good acoustics and perforated acoustic panels made of Riga Wood birch plywood panels serve their duty perfectly,” comments Maksims Žaguļins, project manager at MONUM.Riga Wood birch plywood has a long lifespan, and what is no less important, the maintenance is easy too. “In recent years, birch plywood has been used in many sports halls, especially for acoustic panels. The technologies that we use allow us to adjust the panels to the specific needs of each project with great results”, comments Intars Metums, head of the Wholesale Department of Riga Wood Baltics. “Furthermore, the versatility in our Riga Wood birch plywood products allows us to find the best solution, whether it’s for wall lining, floors or tribunes,” adds Intars.

Latvijas Finieris is increasing its production volumes of lignin-based green glue Riga ECOlogical, and the new product is gaining popularity among architects and interior designers. The design bureau br.ook interior architecture, in one of their latest projects – library of Andrejs Upīts Secondary School Skrīveri, Latvia – chose to use Riga Ply and Riga ECOlogical for their interior solutions. Interior architect Baiba Rūķe, br.ook interior architecture, comments: “The initial idea was to create a multifunctional space, yet we wanted the environment to be clean and natural for creative activities. The birch plywood is good material due to its durability and vast application options. It is also our local product. As interior architects, we pay a great deal of attention to materials that we use in our projects and we look for solutions that focus on air quality. It was interesting to use this material, which is natural and has a focus on sustainability.”The library is special, not only because of the high-quality materials used in the renovation process, but also due to its functionality. The idea of the project was to transform the library into a meeting place where one can get familiar with the latest books, do homework in a pleasant and quiet environment, as well as organise other educational activities for children and the youth.

The Latvian National Museum of Art, located in the Capital, Riga, is host to the richest collection of national art in Latvia. Reconstruction of the museum was completed in 2015, transforming the space inside to maximise the viewing experience. The ceiling was constructed using 5,578 FR treated Riga Prime boards cut, machined, and primed "in house" by Latvijas Finieris. The finished panels were then attached to a steel frame with concealed fixtures.

The 5 year, £500 million restoration of the London King’s Cross Station roof completed circa. 2012 contains a 150 metre free spanning roof flooding the concourse below with natural daylight - an architectural achievement created using BB/BB grade Riga Ply birch plywood in 9mm, 12mm and 18mm.

One can clearly see how functionality meets aesthetic appearance in perforated acoustic birch plywood panels. Precisely perforated panels complement every interior design and the sound-enhancing properties create a pleasant living and working environment. Acoustics play an important role in one’s well-beingAcoustics are important in different construction projects - starting from exhibition booths to concert halls, schools and other public spaces. The best results are achieved in close collaboration with engineers, architects and designers, ensuring the effective combination of sound-enhancing properties and visual aesthetics of acoustic panels to meet the requirements of each project. Furthermore, acoustics play a significant role in one’s well-being. A noisy environment can cause discomfort and increase one’s stress level, as well as hinder communication and reduce the ability to concentrate. With perforated acoustic birch plywood panels, it is possible to minimise obstructions in everyday situations.Perforated acoustic Riga Wood birch plywood panels in projectsWe have recently taken part in multiple projects, where perforated acoustic Riga Wood birch plywood panels were used. The technical requirements of each project are unique. A military base, primary school, cultural centre and Christian congregation – these are just a few to mention and be proud of.Perforated acoustic birch plywood panels are very versatile - wall and ceiling panels can be adjusted in shape and size, overlaid with wood veneer, laminate or lacquered. Panel sizes can be adjusted for each and every project specification, keeping in mind functional and visual needs, as well as installation requirements. This is why we can see the use of our perforated acoustic Riga Wood birch plywood panels in so many and such conceptually different projects.Products used in these projects: Riga Decor, Riga Lacquer, Riga Ply, Riga HPL

The Mežaparks Great Bandstand is among the biggest bandstands in the world. On stage, it can accommodate approximately 13,000 choristers, while in the auditorium, there are more than 30,000 seats. The specially designed stage comprises 510 three-dimensional acoustic panels of different sizes. Each panel was installed at a different angle, assuring excellent sound quality during both bigger and smaller events. The spherically-curved shields are made of Riga Preprime and Riga Ply birch plywood, and both products show excellent technical and visual performance under different weather conditions. Each three-dimensional panel’s thickness is 36 mm – made of four 9 mm panels that are glued together. The panels are in 16 sizes, the largest with a 4 metre diagonal measurement. For long-lasting performance and to protect from sun, wind and rain, the panels are painted with special paint and partly covered with a roof.The project authors are architects Juris Poga and Austris Mailītis. The panels were manufactured by the timber structure design and manufacturing company ZAZA Timber.This year, the XXVII Nationwide Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival will gather thousands of singers and dancers to celebrate dance, song and culture. Part of the festival will be held at Mežaparks Great Band Stand. Latvijas Finieris and Riga Wood are amongst the biggest supporters of the event and Riga Wood birch plywood products will be widely used in nine projects all over the city – starting from information signs and decorations to anti-slip stage floors and acoustic constructions.Since 1873, the nationwide Latvian Song and Dance Festival has been a part of the Latvian national identity that connects generations through the years. It has also been acknowledged worldwide and is included on the UNESCO List of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Increased awareness of need for sustainable solutions is causing the construction industry to lean towards wood materials, thus strengthening the position of wooden buildings in the real estate sector.At the Latvian Construction Annual Award 2021 and the Latvian Construction Engineer of the Year 2021 contests, the new regional Customer Center building of Latvijas Valsts Meži was awarded 1st place in the category “Wooden Structures”. The project was developed following the best practices of sustainable buildings, including energy efficiency, material optimisation, and minimising the negative impact on the environment in both the short- and long term.Riga Wood birch plywood was used in various stages of the whole construction process, too. For this project, two Riga Wood birch plywood products were chosen – Riga Decor and Riga Form. Riga Decor is a common choice for interior solutions where functionality shouldn’t overshadow aesthetics. The decorative appearance allows it to be used for the design of furniture and other interior elements. Meanwhile Riga Form, another birch plywood product applied in this project, is among the top choices for concrete shuttering.“For us, this has been a project full of customised solutions – starting from the technical specification to the provided services. Close collaboration between our sales team and customer, as well as mills and the logistics, led to a high-quality end-result,” comments Uģis Ozols, Riga Wood Baltic director. Customer oriented service solutions integrated in the customer’s production line is among top services provided by Riga Wood and Latvijas Finieris team.It’s well known that construction sector accounts for a hefty amount of CO2 emissions, and a wave of urban growth is increasing the global building stock. Construction materials such as concrete, steel and aluminium are among those contributing a notable share of generated emissions globally. Nevertheless, by using smart technologies and shifting one’s way of thinking, constructions can become global CO2 sinks that support climate stabilisation. Wood is the key factor.