ANDREJSALA: TRANSFORMATION

THROUGH TIME

Part II

LAND USE

On the 31st December 1892, the administration of Rīga created the first committee to decide about the land use of Andrejsala. The body

was chaired by deputy mayor K. von Pickardt.

The 19th century ended and the land use plan of Andrejsala still wasn’t officially signed off. Then, in 1903, the city’s authorities passed a temporary regulation on building temporary structures in the area.

Andrejsala’s general development plan in 1905 (photographic copy). Source: LNHM.

In 1902, Rīga’s chief municipal engineer D. von Rennekampf began working on a new land use plan for Andrejsala, which was signed by mayor George Armitstead and several other officials. It focused on building and expanding Andrejsala’s warehouses and

transport system. Thus in early 1900s there began vast construction works and expansion of the port and the railway.

The Rīga Commercial Port’s middle section, from the Railway Bridge to Jaunmīlgrāvis, charted by V. Michaelis in 1913. Source: MHRN.

INTERWAR PERIOD

After the 1st World War, Andrejsala continued with the land use plan of 1906. The main focus was on repairing the wartime damage and adapting the existing buildings for further use. The plan laid out in early 1900s was officialised by the Port Construction Directorate in 1919; nine years later, the Maritime Department of the Ministry of

Transport signed off its implementation.

The Customs District, Andrejosta and Andrejsala in 1928. Source: MHRN.

During the first independence of Latvia (1918-1940), Andrejsala was part of the Rīga Port and the land was owned

by the city. In the 1920s and 30s, Andrejosta continued to be used by tugboats and smaller ships, as well as by the Latvian Yacht Club,

which was active until 1940.

Est. in 1924, the Latvian Yacht Club operated in Andrejosta (photo of 1927). Source: MHRN.

In the latter half of the 1930s, Andrejosta was used by the Latvian Navy. A new base was built for the submarine flotilla, where for almost a year the two Latvian submarines Ronis and Spīdola,

as well as their supporting ship Varonis were stationed.

Andrejsala in the 1930s. Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala in 1934. Source: MHRN.

The Soviet Union invaded Latvia in 1940. After the annexation the Rīga Port was restructured, making Andrejosta and Andrejsala one of the

seven port districts. The private companies were transferred to government ownership.

2ND WORLD WAR

The German administration used Andrejsala for receiving coal imported from Poland. It exported food via the elevator and

the cold storage warehouse.

Rīga Port’s floating crane in Andrejosta in 1942. Source: MHRN.

The trestle of Andrejsala’s coal wharf (1942). Source: MHRN.

Construction of coal bunkers in Andrejsala (1942). Source: MHRN.

Unloading of coal in Andrejsala in 1942. Source: MHRN.

Outdoor handling of coal in Andrejsala in 1942. Source: MHRN.

Upon its retreat from Rīga in October 1944, the German Army blew up the moorage and buildings in Andrejsala and Andrejosta.

The power station and elevator were partly destroyed. The cold storage warehouses had exploded and suffered in a fire.

Andrejosta after the wartime explosions in 1944. Source: MHRN.

ANDREJSALA AFTER 2ND WORLD WAR

In 1944 and 45, the remnants of the buildings were removed and reconstruction began. The moorages were built anew, by using

construction waste as the building material for the embankments. The first mooring of a ship took place in September 1945.

Overhead conveyors in the “Andreja district” (1945). Source: MHRN.

The Rīga power station resumed operation in 1946, and so did Andrejsala’s railway branches a year later. The Rīga Port’s elevator

was back in business in late 1940s.

Reconstruction of the “Rīga State District Power Station”. Source: MHRN.

Scaffolds used in the reconstruction of the power station.Source: MHRN.

German POWs employed in the reconstruction of Andrejsala.Source: MHRN.

Reconstruction in Andrejsala.Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala and Andrejosta together became known as the Rīga Commercial Sea Port’s Andrejosta district, however the term “Andreja district” (Andreja rajons) was also used. For some reason, in a port reconstruction plan signed off in

1946, the “Andreja district” was considered lacking a successful perspective.

Until mid-1950s, the “Andreja district” used the warehouses built before the 2nd World War for the handling of freight.

The refurbished elevators also resumed operation. The vacant outdoor space was utilised for unloading construction material.

The steam ship Wismar moored near the Rīga Port’s elevator (1957). Source: MHRN.

A railway crane and the motor ship Frieden in Andrejsala (1957). Source: MHRN.

The Rīga Commercial Sea Port (1957). Source: MHRN.

A crane operating in Andrejsala in 1957. Source: MHRN.

Andrejosta in late 1950s. Source: MHRN.

Andrejosta in late 1950s. Source: MHRN.

Andrejosta in late 1950s. Source: MHRN.

In 1955, in the gated port district there were five warehouses. After a couple of years another one was built, and two more were added in 1963. In 1955/56, Andrejsala built two communal dwellings for workers.

A view from Andrejsala to Eksporta Street. The farther background shows

the workers’ communal dwellings. Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala’s only residential building with 12 flats was completed in 1958. Its tenants were employees of the port.

A modern view of the residential building in 1a Andrejostas Street. Source: JAU.

By 1977, all Andrejsala’s unbuilt outdoor space became paved with tarmac and a loading dock for handling chemical freight began operating. In 1980s, Andrejsala’s north part built new office blocks and a laboratory.

Passenger ship Baltika at the Rīga Port in early 1960s.

Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala’s north part in the middle of the 20th century.Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala’s north part in late 20th century.Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala’s north part in late 20th century.Source: MHRN.

The Soviet administration had all port-related information classified. The public had no access to the city’s land use plans. It was possible to use only generalised “outline maps” of cities, which sometimes contained garbled information.

Andrejsala in a 1980 map of Rīga. Source: LNL.

Andrejsala in a 1989 map of Rīga. Source: LNL.

After the restoration of Latvian independence, Andrejsala’s role started seeing a major change. Taking example from international experience, the city’s authorities decided to remodel the industrial

land lots near its centre to achieve greater urban harmony.

Andrejosta and Andrejsala in 1986. Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala in late 20th century. Source: MHRN.

Andrejsala’s north part in 2001. Source: MHRN.

Rīga’s master plan for 1995 to 2005, provided for the transforming of Andrejsala from a gated industrial area

into an urban district of a metropolitan and recreational purpose.

Rīga’s mater plan 1995–2005 included a map detailing the planned and authorised types of land use (fragment).

Historically viewed, Andrejsala’s boom-time occurred just before the 1st World War with its rapid economic growth and extensive construction in the area. Several of Andrejsala’s major buildings have since disappeared and have been replaced by structures of

strictly utilitarian use. This, however, hasn’t diminished the district’s value as a whole.

Andrejsala’s south part in the 1930s. Source: MHRN.

A modern view of Andrejsala’s south part. Source: JAU.

A year 2006 decree by the Cabinet of Ministers changed the limits of the area designated as the “port district”. Thus Andrejsala is now

outside the Freeport of Rīga and can start remodelling itself, following the vision of the city’s development plan.

Rendering of a future Andrejsala by the architect firm Office for Metropolitan Architecture.