Q Can the existing improvement of the AC territory and the one planned for the territory of the House of Letters be changed and adapted to the needs of the new sketch design?
A The existing improvement of the AC territory and the one planned for the territory of the House of Letters can be changed and adapted to the needs of the new sketch design.
Q Considering that the design of the House of Technologies was developed in 2007, and the technologies to be located in the building are more advanced already and will require a space of different size, wouldn't it be logical to adjust the buildings of the existing project as part of the sketch design?
A The design of the House of Technologies of the LU AC will have to be drawn anew. It means that the buildings can be changed. It is planned to have a separate design competition for the House of Technologies after the development of the spatial plan for the LU AC, including the House of Sports. In this Sketch Design Competition, it is important to outline the location and volume of the prospective House of Technologies in the territory of the LU AC.
Q Based on the information available to us, we do not see that the competition was announced before 02.08.2022, but the official announcement date of the competition is 19.07.2022. In order to produce a high-quality competition application, we ask you to extend the deadline for submitting applications for the first competition round by one month (till 19 October).
A The competition for the development of the LU AC spatial plan was announced on the EIS on 19 July 2022. Referring to your proposal, the LU management agrees to extend the deadline for submission of sketch designs until 7 October 2022.
Q We would like to clarify whether architects from Ukraine have the right to participate in this competition?
A The competition for the development of the LU AC spatial plan is an open competition, so Ukrainian architects have the right to participate in the design competition.
Pursuant to Clause 9.3.2 of the Competition Brief: “In the event of concluding a procurement contract, the Interested Participant of the Competition must be registered in the Register of Building Companies of the Republic of Latvia in accordance with the provisions of the Construction Law and Cabinet Regulation No. 116 of 25 February 2014 “Regulations Regarding the Registration of Construction Merchants”. This requirement also applies to a member of the partnership, a member of an association of suppliers (if the Sketch Design is submitted by a partnership or an association of suppliers) that will perform designing.
Q Are there any pre-qualifications required or all formal documents with company references etc. need to be submitted on 19.09.2022 together with the Sketch Design Proposal?
A According to Clause 6.1.2 of the Competition Brief, the proposal of the Sketch Design for the 1st round consists of three parts:

“Part 1: The Sketch Design illustrating the concept of the idea according to the requirements set out in the Brief and its appendices...

Part 2: The application of the Interested Participant for participation in the Competition and the description of the qualification (prepared in accordance with Appendices 3, 4, 5 to the Brief).

Part 3: The Motto (a combination of letters and numbers) to be deciphered in a free form, which includes information about the author(s), (prepared in accordance with Appendix 2 to the Brief).”
Q Is there a list of the questions from other possible participants and answers to them published anywhere?
A The questions submitted and the answers provided by the LU are published in the Electronic Procurement System: https://www.eis.gov.lv/EKEIS/Supplier/Procurement/71474 and on the website of the LU AC Sketch Design Competition at https://lu.metukonkurss.lv/
Q Where should the documents be submitted? As hard copies sent by post to the actual address? Or uploaded via e-platform? Or both?
A According to Clause 2.10.1 of the Competition Brief: “The 1st competition round – the minimum composition of the Sketch Design, as specified in Clause 6, to be submitted to the Secretary-in-Charge of the Jury in Riga, Torņa iela 11.
The Sketch Design should be submitted in form of:
1) A1-size panels;
2) electronically on a memory stick.
The composition of the Sketch Design for the 1st competition round is specified in Clause 6.1.1 of the Brief.
Q Do we need to scan all CVs and diplomas of the specialists?
A According to Clause 9.1 of the Competition Brief: “The professional qualification requirements of the Participants of the Competition are mandatory for all Participants who wish to participate and submit their proposals in the 2nd competition round in order to obtain the right to conclude the Procurement Contract. The Participant of the Competition is aware that any information included in the application or qualification documents contradicting the requirements of the Brief may be a reason for rejecting the application.”
The qualification requirements are specified in Clauses 9.3 and 9.4.3 of the Brief, thus you have to submit all the documents that prove your professional qualification:
“The persons that are registered in a foreign country must submit a document issued by an equivalent authority that in accordance with the laws and regulations of the relevant country attests to the Interested Participant's right to perform designing.”
Q What documents are required to confirm references to a public building? Do we have to submit them with the design sketch proposal?
A Reference to the experience in development of “at least one similar Sketch Design or construction design (with an area of no less than 7000 m²) and in landscape architecture and development of transport infrastructure solutions in at least one Sketch Design or construction design with an urban development concept and landscaping (with an area of no less than 15,000 m m²)” must be described using the form of Appendix 4 to the Brief.
The construction design proving the experience must be fully developed, approved and accepted by a construction board or by another foreign competent institution under the procedures specified in the laws and regulations.
Q Do you have any "credit reference" forms from other companies or a joint venture consortium with 2 participants?
A If the Participant submits a proposal as an association of persons, he/she must enclose an agreement or a letter of intent of the members of the association of persons, confirming:
1. readiness to collaborate in development of a Sketch Design;
2. readiness to collaborate in performance of the Procurement Contract if the association of suppliers is awarded the right to conclude the contract during the Negotiation Procedure.
Q How do you understand the Sketch Design stage?
A Construction design in minimum composition - the necessary set of graphical and textual documents illustrating the basic idea of the development (massing, location, type of use of the building) and underlying the issue of a building permit, which also includes work with the client for the idea to be accepted for submission to the institutions issuing approvals.
Q Is the approved concept design by client or the other architectural competition public use building acceptable?
E.g. We’ve done the awarded with 3rd place Sketch Design for Railway Station for Vilnius together with masterplan of larger area.
Does it count if the station is over 7000 m2?
Link to referenced project:
Vilnius Connect » 3rd place – 19MM75
A The construction design proving the experience must be fully developed, approved and accepted by a construction board (or an institution issuing approvals) under the procedures specified in the laws and regulations or by another foreign competent institution. The solution of appropriate parameters which had won an award-in an international competition is comparable to a solution for a public building or improvement of a public territory.
Q Please make available to the participants of the competition the master plans as DWG files of the existing and already constructed buildings.
A Topography (Master Plan) with the existing buildings is available in Appendix 7, Folder 3. If necessary, we can add a part of the master plan with the House of Letters which is under construction.
Attached file
Q Please clarify what spaces are required in the House of Technologies - what area needs to be provided on the ground floor without a possibility of placing rooms on top floors?
A For the bunker-type structures of the House of Technologies, please, see the area and height in the previously developed minimum construction design for the Cyclotron, AR 3 “Cyclotron complex”, Rooms 1-4 and 165 "Room of transportation system", including walls.
Q Can the participants of the competition offer alternative solutions for the existing car park and the one planned for the House of Letters?
A The participants of the Sketch Design competition can offer alternative solutions for all car parks in the territory, see the booklet of the Sketch Design competition, Clause 6.2.
Q Does the LU Academic Centre plan in future to develop beyond the functions specified in the competition? Namely, should there be a possibility provided to build additional buildings in case of further development apart from the ones indicated in the competition programme?
A In addition to the buildings already constructed and being constructed in the territory of the LU AC, the Designing Programme lists the buildings planned in future, i.e. the House of Technologies, the House of Health, the House of Sports, the House of Students and Guests as well as car parks. Considering that in line with its development plans the LU AC will concentrate the most part of the academic and science infrastructure of the LU in one place, which means a large flow of visitors, as part of the Sketch Design competition, a space can be provided for various support services important to the public and/or other environmental objects.
Q Can a separate building be provided for parking spaces?
A When designing the car park building, its sustainability in the territory must be assessed, along with a possibility of converting it to another function in the future, placing it under the embankment or under the Academic Square. A possibility may be considered of placing parking spaces also in the buildings, without creating underground car parks.
Q In the report of the jury commission, among the comments about parking lots, the principle of placing "parking lots under the embankment" is mentioned (see section 1, paragraph 4 of the report). Is the Rail Baltic embankment meant in this case? Is it permissible to place parking spaces in the territory of the Rail Baltic embankment?
A It is not permissible to place parking spaces under the Rail Baltic embankment - in the report, parking spaces under the embankment are meant in the territory of the Competition object (when creating the academic square near the House of Nature, see the appendix - "5_6_8_LU AC_labiekārtojuma_vadlīniju_labojums_Sestais_Stils" - the existing constructed buildings House of Nature and House of Sciences have built-in main entrances on 2nd floor level from the side of the academic square, indicated in the appendix.)
Q The jury's recommendations call for dividing the House of Sports and Technology-Health house into several groups. Please specify, from the customer's side, what functions should remain in proximity, for example, should team sports be in the same group as the gym? Is it necessary to locate groups of the LU sports club’ s rooms and office rooms for other clubs (administrative functions) in close proximity to another group of rooms?
A About the House of Sports - functionally, all the blocks are connected so that you can move from one to another through the interior spaces. Team sports halls (ABC) may be separated from the fitness area (gym) - however, the locker rooms attached to the A and B sports halls through which the athletes, especially the "home" teams, will also go from their lockers to the gym, without using the lockers for fitness zone. Therefore, functionally, the gym should be easily accessible from the A and B team sports locker rooms (without crossing the main public ways).
About the administrative and office premises – No, only the meeting room will be used for interviews with athletes, so it must have functional connection with the other areas.
Connections between other functional areas:
Pool area cloakroom - pool area reception desk (there can also be 1 reception for all functional areas of the building)
The pool area locker rooms are connected to:
• 50m pool area
• learning pool
• family spa area and thermal complex
• children pool
• laboratory with counter-current swimming pool

Locker rooms of team sports halls - ABC halls with storage and spectator areas, each sports hall can be a separate room (the approximate number and capacity of the locker rooms for each hall is indicated in the table next to the team locker rooms) – from team (home) locker rooms for halls A and B – the route to fitness gym should be short as possible. There is a direct exit to the AB team sports halls from the locker rooms of the home and guest teams.

Fitness locker rooms
• a gym with a connected straight track of 110m integrated into the building - it could cross several team halls (for example, on the balcony or otherwise located, with a storage room and a trainer's room. Athletes of the AB home teams will go to the gym before or after their training and use their locker rooms.
• aerobics hall AB and dance hall - may not be directly connected to the changing rooms of the gym, but with easy access to them.
The sports laboratory - from here the equipment for testing athletes will be transferred throughout the sports hall - it also has a functional connection with the physiotherapy and medical offices. It is a plus if it is also located close to one of the team gyms.
Canteen - cafe - connected or close to the SPA area - so that both the wet and dry areas can be served.
Different functions should provide mutual visual connection – for example, so that a visitor who has come to learn to swim can see how a professional swims in the large pool, or can see aerobics from the basketball hall, etc.
The pool area to the gym should be provided with wide windows - so that you can see them from the outside as well.
About the House of Technologies and House of Health:
The buildings can be functionally designed both as 1 common volume and 2 separate ones- the House of Technologies is functionally intended for science and its commercialization, while the House of Health - for the provision of health services.
The related function of these buildings is the radiation part - all rooms (bunkers) that cannot be located above any other room because of the technological equipment.
In the cyclotron - materials for research etc. are processed, which is more a function of the House of Technologies, but they will also be used in the House of Health. Building connection should be made directly within the radiation department.
It should be noted that the buildings should function even without the cyclotron bunker part itself, as there is a possibility that it will be built later.
The Radiation-Sterilization Department of the House of Technologies needs a very good connection with transport access - various materials for sterilization will be delivered here from the city and also from the functions of the House of Health, for example, for the sterilization of surgical instruments.
All rooms for radiation equipment are to be planned without a basement. Do not plan rooms above the cyclotron and radiation sterilization bunkers - usable roofs can also be greened here.
Q In order to make the construction of the Academic Centre more logical and planned more successfully, it would be valuable to know the stages of the construction. Does the customer have a timeline of which buildings are to be developed in the near future, which ones in the further future?
A The sequence is currently planned as follows - building completion time:
House of Sports – 2026
House of Students and Guests 2027
House of Health 2027
House of Technologies - the longest process in 2029
However, in order to more successfully complete the already started House of Letters and start the construction of the House of Sports, it is very important to provide a complex parking solution in the area.
Q Until what date can we submit questions?
A Until 10.01.2023.
Q Is there a known timeline for the construction of the planned infrastructure? Is there a known order in which the infrastructure will be built? (Rail Baltica track, connection between Ranķa dam and Vienības gatves, circle at the intersection of Jelgava and Vienības gatves, extension of Buru street)
A It is unknown
Q Is it possible to change the location of the pedestrian and bicycle tunnel that connects Akmeņu Street with LU AC?
A Unable to change location
Q The rules of the competition require the building volumes to be assembled in 15 perspectives. This is a large photomontage work for a design competition. According to the authors, would it be possible to reduce these views to 5?
A According to the LU AC tender documentation folder 6_FOTOMONTĀŽA, which reflects the requirements of the Riga City Development Department, you have to develop 10 photo montages
Q Could you please confirm the valid location of tunnel and roads which is respected during the competition evaluation. Because of the language differences, we would like to be 100% sure before final submission, that it should be based on traffic and railway design from attachment
“3_2_topografija_ar konkursa izpetes teritorijas robezu” with diagonal tunnel crossing railways next to relocated Rail Baltica station and there are no more updates regarding the roads/ railway crossings layouts.
A RBR confirms the location of railway infrastructure and pedestrian/bicycle tunnels designed by RBR designer. (e.g. Raņķa dambis (diagonal tunnel) road tunnel with the new city streets is not the responsibility of RBR designer).

This location is correct one, that is expected.
This tunnel crossing LU AC site in the midle is the old one, a new tunnel is planned as shown in picture above. That means on these crossing old tunnel lines we won`t be able to build first building - our first building to be built (house of sports shouldn`t be crossing theese line while city is still in half approved proccess of the new plan
Q In project programme attachment "4_4_4_LU_Sporta mājas vajadzības.pdf" is mentioned:
"Game mode" - court suitable for international IFF and FIBA competition with 800 seats, with a possibility of adding another 2200 seats if necessary"
To have option of additional seating (total seating 3000) total area of gym must be increased significantly - does this means that seating arena must be designed?
A International Game mode events in Halls A and B are expected to happen very rarely - for theese occasions total area of hall must accomodate total 3000 spectators and 1 game field (floorball or basketball) during game mode only 1 field is used. Configurations of training and game fields can be different (see example Hall B - background training mode - blue lines - one of possible configuration of game so all the bacground fieldas area stays free, so there should be enough area for addition of seats (that can be brought in only for specific occasion not daily use). Spectator seating could be also placed in balconies above sports halls. After our calculations of total of sports hall floor area, with balconies above fields (not calculated in total floor), that is indicated in designing programme required spaces should not be increased significally.
Q In House of Letters site plan is planned extended car parking area on existing car park on the North of the site.
Will this extended parking and landscaping project will be built and used in operation together with House of Letters? How many parking spaces are planned for House of Letters?
A At this moment we ar planning so, but this plan is to be changed after This design competition. During time of building of new houses operation of existing buildings as well as House of Letters shouldnt be disturbed. At this moment 2 existing bulidings has 213 parking places of wich 33 are located in basement of House of Science. Additonal parking places 500 in contest programme are already calculated including House of Letters neccecary 146 spaces. Total parking spaces (in case exsisting spaces are demolished) with all of the bulidings - existing and in programme should be around 750 pcs.
Q Should the running track (position in table 2.5) with length of 110m straight line should be INDOOR element or OUTDOOR element located next to the House of Sports?
A Running track with the length of 110 m straight should be located INDOOR