{"id":24696,"date":"2026-09-28T19:27:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T16:27:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vana.ajakirimaja.ee\/nagu-kuuma-kartulit\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T19:50:24","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T16:50:24","slug":"like-a-hot-potato","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vana.ajakirimaja.ee\/en\/like-a-hot-potato\/","title":{"rendered":"Like a Hot Potato"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From the largest covered produce markets to scattered street stalls, Riga offers a potent architectural feast when it comes to food markets, writes Ieva Z\u012bb\u0101rte.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Food and, consequently, markets evoke subjective and emotional rather than structured experiences. Nevertheless, the persistent impulse to provide a space for the millennia-old food and goods exchange has gifted us some architecturally spectacular structures. Architecture imposes order and can effectively integrate markets into urban systems. It adds quality and improves physical accessibility, yet it also contributes to the price tags. Those who have travelled widely know that some of the sweetest papayas can be found sold on old newspapers right on the street. Yet, there is an equally satisfying moment in finding a neatly designed bar at a market serving grower wine alongside freshly caught and prepared fish. So, which kind of market would you choose, dear reader? I am positive we need both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Larger markets, even the most historical ones, are often no longer the primary place to get our basic foodstuff; they might feature a sushi corner, a spice kiosk, and an Italian deli. Depending on their size, such markets can be important tourist attractions, generating both income and problems. The problems arise when locals can no longer afford to shop at the market and feel annoyed by the crowds. Hence the importance of smaller, neighbourhood, and corner markets. If we aim to shop \u2018like the French do\u2019, there should be a market, a bakery, and a butcher’s shop in every neighbourhood. Even though chaotic, this system is still functioning in Riga, with historical markets serving their original purpose and smaller markets acting as a vital support.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo: Reinis Hofmanis<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Market curator<\/strong><\/h2>\n

With three grand historical covered markets, several permanent neighbourhood markets, street stalls, and new farmers\u2019 markets organised by neighbourhood NPOs, produce markets within the Riga municipality fall under the responsibility of numerous departments.<\/p>\n

For instance, the City Development Department oversees the city’s development plan, which includes both the Riga Central Market and Vidzemes Market as important areas for near-future investment. A recent initiative introduced neighbourhood coordinators (an official municipal body designed to bring local government services closer to people) who now take care of street vendors. Larger neighbourhood markets, however, do not really fall under anyone\u2019s umbrella\u2014they are mostly private and outside of sensitive areas like the historical centre of Riga, a UNESCO World Heritage site.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Modular street stalls designed by Toms Kampars and Emi\u0304ls Maksims, 2022\u20132024<\/em>.
Photo: City of Riga\u2028<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

There is no single person in Riga who oversees the entire market ecosystem. After speaking to Riga\u2019s Chief Designer, architect and urbanist Evel\u012bna Ozola, and Alija Turlaja, a former citizen-activist now a Riga City Councillor from the Progres\u012bvie political party, we agree that appointing a Market Curator in Riga could offer similar benefits to those of a Night Mayor in many cities, especially considering the large number of market structures (three larger-scale markets, a dozen medium-sized markets, and around 20 street stall locations).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A recent project overseen by the city\u2019s Chief Designer and neighbourhood coordinators was the upgrade of degraded Soviet-era stalls in the less privileged areas of Riga, including Soviet-era microrayons. The brief foresaw that the new stalls were to be designed as an adaptable single module not larger than 3\u00d72.4 m. These modules could then be multiplied and arranged in various configurations across different locations. Designed in 2022 by Toms Kampars and Em\u012bls Maksims, the new stalls were made of steel and CLT and offer a contemporary refreshment in the somewhat grey urban margins. Kampars noted that placing the stalls proved to be the most challenging aspect. Although the modules were required to be freestanding, many sites lacked basic qualities, such as an even surface, and other infrastructure, such as access to lighting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Food as part of a healthy home<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The street and local produce markets in Riga are thriving, even those whose existence does not require an architectural framework. Architecture, nevertheless, plays a significant role, as new produce markets tend to appear in places where active residents are involved in the restoration of cultural heritage.<\/p>\n

One of the pioneers of these new markets in Riga is the Kalnciema Quarter Market. Its beginnings are rooted in the restoration of a degrading block of timber buildings in what was, at the time, not a particularly popular street. Kalnciema Street is the main artery connecting Riga International Airport with the city centre, the Presidential residence, and the ministries. In the early 2000s, as Latvia prepared to join the EU and NATO, official vehicles carrying state dignitaries and international guests often sped along it.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Kalnciema Quarter Market in Riga opened in 2008, following the refurbishment of a cluster of wooden houses. Renovation architecture by Liene Griezi\u0304te\u2019s studio.<\/em>
Photos: Kalnciema Quarter<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The then-active association Latvia Nostra sprang into action and several timber buildings were painted just before the NATO summit was held in Riga in 2006. Meanwhile, driven by a love for all things old, the Dambergs brothers completed the restoration of another cluster of timber houses on the same street, and in 2008 they launched a farmers market in the courtyard. It was a classic pre-social media millennial project, centred on the idea of restored and modernised homes, food, and a place for families to gather. This was also the first market where growers and makers were selling their produce themselves, thus adhering to the \u2018from farm to table\u2019 concept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Kalnciema Quarter Market has never featured a specially designed structure, but it is surrounded by elegantly restored and modernised old timber buildings, based on the designs of Liene Griez\u012bte’s architectural studio. Market visitors can eat the food they have purchased right there in the apple orchard or on the art gallery terrace. The future voters, the Gen Z generation turning 18 in 2026, grew up running around in this market, accustomed to eating organic produce and enjoying the popular carousel ride. It might be the first modern urban project in Riga where the representative role of architecture has been replaced by a crucial social role, encompassing the greening of the environment, the involvement of diverse resident groups, and the coexistence of multiple functions. The model proved highly influential, and this practice has since been adopted by other neighbourhoods of Riga, such as Gr\u012bzi\u0146kalns and \u010ciekurkalns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The power of the local community\u2028<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although there is no official Market Curator in Riga, Una Meiberga, a social designer and Head of Development for the Kalnciema Quarter Market and the \u0100genskalna Market, could be regarded as one. With support from the national business development programmes and EU programmes, various local and international projects have been implemented in the markets she manages, including the Market Guide launched in November 2025. However, the most visible, popular, and architecturally magnificent project is the refurbished \u0100genskalna Market, restored under the guidance of architect Liene Griez\u012bte. It is one of the three historical covered markets with opulent architecture owned by the Riga municipality. Built in 1914, this neighbourhood market was in such a critical state that it had to be closed, facing an uncertain fate. Thanks to local activism, the Riga municipality was pressured to seek a solution, and there was a collective sigh of relief when it was announced that the market\u2019s renewal was entrusted to the Damberg brothers’ team. In 2018, it was leased by the city of Riga to the owners of the Kalnciema Quarter Market for a 30-year term.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Following renovation work by Liene Griezi\u0304te\u2019s studio, the A\u0304genskalns Market in Riga now houses a market hall on the ground floor and a food court on the first floor\/mezzanine, 2022.<\/em>
Photo: \u0100genskalna Market<\/em>
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It is now difficult to imagine the market being empty and abandoned\u2014it is always bustling with people, even in the late evenings, because a space has been created not just for buying and selling, but for social contact. Beyond home-produced goods, one can buy or drink coffee here, eat locally made ice cream, Asian dumplings, Ukrainian borscht, or order a cocktail at a bar, and visit a bookstore or a second-hand furniture shop. In the courtyard, one can eat Uzbek plov and buy apples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as she did in the Kalnciema Quarter, Liene Griez\u012bte has exquisitely renewed the structure while also modernising, simplifying, and humanising it. Alongside architecture, the key to the market’s success lies in its organisation. Una Meiberga emphasises the critical role played by the fact that none of the seating or tables are permanently assigned to a specific vendor. The market is conceived as a cultural venue, as the programme includes music and other events, but the ultimate goal remains the same: the availability of high-quality food products. Even when the traders are gone, food products can still be purchased via a vending machine.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The proposed redevelopment of Riga Central Market by Wealth.Investments and Teeja arhitekti focuses on creating new, greener squares and introducing mixed functions to the historical pavilions, moving them beyond their traditional food-centric role, 2023\u20132024.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

A singular European landmark<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Riga Central Market, which we perhaps should have started with, is loved by locals, tourists, and politicians alike. It remains a source of national (and often nationalistic) pride, similar to the time of its inauguration in 1930.<\/p>\n

Architecturally, it is a spectacular project, and a century-old example of repurposing expensive construction materials. Its enormous metal frames were transported to Riga from dismantled World War I-era Zeppelin hangars in Vai\u0146ode. Built according to the design of architect P\u0101vils Dreijmanis, the five market pavilions constitute the largest covered market in Europe, and quite possibly the world. Its total land area covers around 10 hectares, with the official market status designated to an area of 6.7 hectares. The Central Market is a listed national cultural monument and forms part of the historical centre of Riga which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The daily visitor count is between 30,000 and 50,000 people.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Pop-up tasting experiences at the Fish and Meat Halls of Riga Central Market, designed by Onlyonly studio, 2024\u20132025.<\/em>
Photos:<\/em> Onlyonly Studio<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Photo: Reinis Hofmanis<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

From 2023 to 2024, in my role as Head of Development at the Riga municipal estate service company R\u012bgas nami, I was involved in a couple of pilot projects that examined potential future scenarios for the city\u2019s large markets. One of those pilots was a Riga Central Market development concept by the consultancy Wealth.Investments in collaboration with Teeja Arhitekti. One of the project requirements was the comprehensive involvement of all stakeholders. This was possibly the first market development project that successfully integrated all intersecting interests, including those related to Rail Baltica, the Riga Bus Terminal, and private developers. Notably, in addition to the five large pavilions, the market area includes dozens of historical warehouses (known as sp\u012b\u0137eri) which belong to various private owners but stand on municipal land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation is further complicated by everyone\u2019s high expectations for the magnificent market, even though Riga\u2019s population remains steady at around 600,000. This fact clearly indicates that a portion of the market buildings must be assigned functions other than just retail. To speak in market language: how do we ensure the wolf is fed while the goat remains alive?<\/p>\n\n\n

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Photo: Reinis Hofmanis<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The concept’s authors demonstrated that there is a viable model where the market continues to function substantially within four historical pavilions and the outdoor space, while one of the largest pavilions is dedicated to a cultural function. This proposal was also best received by the citizen engagement groups. We calculated that the historical Meat Pavilion could also accommodate the programme of the much-needed Contemporary Art Museum, while the open areas could provide space for a new public park. Furthermore, space could be allocated for sports and, most crucially, for food production. The concept\u2019s authors also pointed out that the user base of the market is rapidly aging. This was one of the reasons for a subsequent pilot project competition focused on creating temporary rest and food tasting areas within the market, for which the proposal was developed by the architectural bureau Onlyonly Studio. However, these pilots and micro-interventions in the market\u2019s vast structures and territories are nearly unnoticeable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An uncertain future<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Riga\u2019s markets are a hot potato for politicians and a sentimental passion for the residents. Discovering and describing them is like opening Pandora\u2019s Box, full of historical treasures and future potential. Ultimately, the centre of Riga has not been this active and delicious for a long time, despite prolonged depression, criticism of the government, and the nearby aggressor playing with its drones. Architecture, in its traditional sense, plays a secondary part here, unless the client and the architect are prepared to step into the role of a social curator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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IEVA Z\u012aB\u0100RTE<\/strong> is an architect, writer, and curator. After her architectural studies, she obtained an MSc in Library Science and Information. Her portfolio includes over 1,000 articles on architecture, design, and popular culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HEADER: article header in the magazine. Photos: Reinis Hofmanis, design: Unt\/Tammik
PUBLISHED: MAJA 3\/4-2025 (121-122) with main topic WORK AND FOOD<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the largest covered produce markets to scattered street stalls, Riga offers a potent architectural feast when it comes to food markets, writes Ieva Z\u012bb\u0101rte.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24697,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"generate_page_header":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[120],"tags":[336],"class_list":["post-24696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spatial-design","tag-3-4-2025-121-122-work-and-food","infinite-scroll-item"],"yoast_head":"\nLike a Hot Potato - MAJA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vana.ajakirimaja.ee\/en\/like-a-hot-potato\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Like a Hot Potato - 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