ANDREJSALA: TRANSFORMATION

THROUGH TIME

Part IV

RAILWAY AND RĪGA-KRASTA STATION

Railway infrastructure saw a rapid expansion in Latvia in 1889 to 1901. In 1889, a new railway branch was designed for connecting the Mīlgrāvis Station to the Customs Embankment in Andrejsala.

An agreement setting forth the construction and operation of the branches was signed in 1892; three years later the 2.1-mile (3.6-km)

line began operating. The station in Andrejsala took the form of a one-storey wooden building housing telegraph and offices.

A late-1800s plan for building the railway branches connecting to the elevator.

Several railway access branches were built in Andrejsala. In 1901, there were three branches on each side of the elevator. In 1905,

one of them was extended up to the Union’s cold-storage warehouse and, in 1911, up to the north end of Andrejsala. The second branch reached from the Rīga-Krasta station farther between the railway

storehouses. In 1905, the elevator branch became connected with the Rīga–Pskov line.

A map of Rīga, charted in 1907 by T. G. Ruckis. Source: LNL.

The Rīga-Krasta station, within the port’s territory, was founded in 1907, which took care of the distribution of the import and export

railway freight. It consisted of more than 10 buildings.

The Rīga-Krasta railway station, built in 1900, before the reconstruction in the 1980s. Source: MLD.

In the 1920s, the station also handled passenger traffic. Andrejsala has had “Russian-gauge” railways since they were first built, however

until 1936 it also had the standard-gauge ones. In the 2nd World War, Andrejsala’s railway branches were damaged. The access

branches of the Rīga-Krasta Station were reconstructed in 1947. On the whole, the station’s purpose hasn’t changed, and it still handles

the administration of railway freight.

The railway station’s building in Andrejsala will be preserved and adapted for new functions. Source: JAU.

UNION’S COLD-STORAGE WAREHOUSE

In 1901, Rīga’s Municipality signed an agreement with the British Vestey Brothers business company regarding lease of land for building a cold-storage warehouse. It operated under the trade

name of Union noliktavas-saldētavas biedrība.

In 1902, a four-storey brick building began operating, housing the cold storage of butter, eggs, fish, fruit and game.

A year 1907 map of Rīga, charted by T. G. Ruckis. Source: LNL.

A fragment of a Rīga’s map, made according to the survey of 1903 to 1908. Source: LNL.

The façade of the 4-storey cold-storage warehouse, in architect W. Bokslaff’s design, 1901. Source: RCC CDD.

The cold-storage machinery building in architect W. Bokslaff’s design, 1901. Source: RCC CDD.

A cross-section of the cold-storage warehouse in architect W. Bokslaff’s design (1901). Source: RCC CDD.

In 1902, wooden loading platforms were built on both sides of the cold-storage warehouse in order to facilitate freight handling. Two

years later, a wooden moorage was constructed in the Daugava near it. In 1905, next to the existing building, Union began building

another five-storey cold-storage. It also added a butter sorting facility and a residential building with three flats for employees.

A cross-section of the 5-storey cold-storage warehouse in architect W. Bokslaff’s design (1904). Source: RCC CDD.

The façades of the butter sorting building and the residential building, designed in 1905 by architect W. Bokslaff. Source: RCC CDD.

The underground floor of the butter sorting building and the residential building, designed in 1905 by architect W. Bokslaff. Source: RCC CDD.

The top-down view and cross-section of the butter sorting building and the residential building, drawn in 1905 by architect W. Bokslaff. Source: RCC CDD.

In 1911, Union added a one-storey warehouse and another seven-storey cold-storage building. Near the latter, there was also a

passenger boat moorage.

The façade of the 7-storey cold-storage warehouse, designed in 1909 by architect W. Bokslaff.

The floor plan of the 7-storey cold-storage warehouse’s ground floor, designed in 1909 by architect W. Bokslaff.

A cross-section of the 7-storey cold-storage warehouse, designed in 1909 by architect W. Bokslaff.

A year 1901 general outline of the cold-storage complex.

A year 1901 general outline of the cold-storage complex.

A year 1904 general outline of the cold-storage complex.

A year 1905 general outline of the cold-storage complex.

A year 1909 general outline of the cold-storage complex.

Union’s cold-storage complex in early 1900s. Source: MHRN.

After the 1st World War, the cold-storage warehouses resumed their business only partially. Union’s cold-storages were sold to the

Ministry of Finance in 1937, and the company itself was shut down. The cold-storage was run by the State Cold-Storage Bureau. The

wartime actions of 1944 totally destroyed the cold-storage complex.

Andrejsala in late 1930s. The farther background shows the cold-storage complex, fronted by the Agricultural Ministry’s Grain Office’s elevator.

Source: MHRN.

ANDREJSALA’S POWER STATION

In 1900, Rīga decided tofund the building andoperating of a powerstation.Its designing was begunin 1901 by the Germanengineer O. von Müller.

O. von Müller’s technical drawing of the Central Rīga Power Station

Three-phase Electricity and Low-voltage Distribution Network.

In 1903, the Rīga City Council signed off O. von Müller’s architectural designs and, a year later, the power station’s building was

completed. It had two funnels, 60 and 65 metres tall, respectively. The unveiling of the power station took place in May 1905.

The power station, viewed from the side of Union’s cold-storage warehouse in early 1900s. Photo by V. Rīdzenieks.

In 1910, the power station’s output began to be increased. In 1913, there were three operational steam generators, three steam turbines and a dozen steam boilers. Before the 1st World War, the power station’s boiler room was reconstructed.

Andrejsala’s power station was Rīga’s first source of electricity and a major node of its power grid. Source: PGM.

The 1st World War halted the power station’s operation, and some of the machinery was evacuated in 1915 and 1916. As the city’s power consumption grew in the post-war years, the power station had to be

gradually expanded to increase its output.

A view of the south side of the power station complex. Photo by V. Rīdzenieks.

In 1926, the third, 84.8-metre high funnel was completed, begun to be built already before the war.

Andrejsala’s power station complex. Photo by V. Rīdzenieks.

There were discussions on expanding the power station in 1928, however the government approved a solution proposing the building of a hydroelectric plant near the Dole Island on the Daugava. The repeated requests for funding were denied by the Ministry of Finance in 1936.

A map of the Daugava’s downstream part in 1930 (fragment). Source: LNL.

When the German army retreated from Rīga in 1944, it blew up Andrejsala’s power station, leaving only its main façade standing.

The remains of the destroyed power station. Source: PGM.

After the war, reconstruction could begin, employing German POWs as the workforce. The facility was now named “Rīga State District

Power Station” or “VRES”.

Renovation of the power station’s interior in 1945 to 1947. Source: PGM.

Renovation of the power station in 1945 to 1947. Source: PGM.

A railway unit housing generators on the railway tracks near the power station in the post-war years. Source: PGM.

The power station’s first refurbished turbo generator began running in April 1946. In the same year, an official unveiling of the rebuilt Rīga’s

VRES took place.

At the unveiling of the rebuilt Rīga’s VRES: Latvian SSR’s Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Vilis Lācis (front left), Supreme Council’s Chairman Augusts Kirchenšteins,

Latvian SSR’s Communist Party’s Central Committees High Secretary Jānis Kalnbērziņš and the Baltic Military Region’s General Commander Ivan Bagramyan. Source: PGM.

The Ukrainian city of Lviv, in 1946 to 1947, developed a reconstruction project for the VRES, which provided for an expansion of the factory floors, while preserving the historic building’s façades’

most characteristic architectural features and components.

The power station’s 1946/47 reconstruction design’s perspective rendering. Source: PGM.

The electric power station during the reconstruction. Source: PGM.

The electric power station during the reconstruction. Source: PGM.

Under Soviets, all economic activity was inextricably accompanied by propaganda of the state ideology. The power station had to have a dedicated “information room”. Source: PGM.

Assembly of the power station’s machinery. Source: PGM.

Renovation of the power station in late 1940s. The façade is adorned for the International Workers’ Day.

Source: PGM.

An upgrade of the power station’s rated output followed in 1960. Two years later, it added natural gas an alternative fuel alongside coal. In 1967, the station began outputting also heat, by burning black oil fuel.

The Rīga VRES employees at the 50-year anniversary of the power station in 1955. Source: PGM.

Checking and adjusting the power-stations machinery. Source: PGM.

The power station’s hardware. Source: PGM.

The power station’s electricity generating function was retired in 1987. On the 31st of May, it ceased generating heat. The building’s

future plan sees it as the home of the new Latvian Museum of Contemporary Art.

A modern view of the former power station complex. Source: JAU.

A modern view of the former power station complex. Source: JAU.

The blueprints for the Museum of Contemporary Art have been designed by the Dutch company Office for Metropolitan Architecture

(OMA), led by architect Rem Koolhaas. The art institution is expected to foster the growth both of Andrejsala and of the arts and culture

environment of the entire Latvian capital.

A rendering of the future Museum of Contemporary Art by OMA.

Special thanks:

Ingrīda Miklāva and Aigars Miklāvs;Museum of History of Rīga and Navigation (MHRN);

Power Generation Museum (PGM);Museum of “Latvijas dzelzceļš” (MLD);

Rīga City Council’s City Development Department (RCC CDD).

The presentation also makes use of material provided by the Latvian National Archive of History (LNAH),the Latvian National History Museum (LNHM)

and the Latvian National Library (LNL).

© Jaunrīgas attīstības uzņēmums, 2009