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Kalnciema Quarter, RIGA
Kalnciema Quarter in Riga is an urban quarter engaged with market fairs, farmers markets, cultural and creative economy activities. The quarter is an ensemble of buildings representing 18th/19th century wooden architecture. It significantly influences the perception of Riga City centre – the UNESCO World Heritage Site, being the gateway from the International Airport to the heart of the city. The location has provided an additional opportunity for effective awareness-raising of the architectural heritage. The renovated Kalnciema Quarter has been opened to the public and hosts a series of cultural and business events – festivals, concerts, cinema, exhibitions, design shops, a restaurant, an architect’s studio. The quarter hosts farmers and artisan markets weekly, which are becoming increasingly popular among city dwellers.
The main activities of the company’s business are market fairs, farmers and artisan markets. Cultural activities and community events. Woodworks and renovation of historic buildings. Real estate operations and regeneration projects.
Kalnciema Quarter is an example of a new multifunctional urban space: weekly farmers markets bring producers and consumers together in a festive environment and atmosphere.
Kalnciema Quarter’s expertise includes community and stakeholder engagement: design and facilitation of participatory processes that engage people in shaping organisations, places, and communities. Collaborative Planning: raising genuine dialogue, building shared understanding, and supporting creative collaboration amongst diverse stakeholders. Place Making: facilitation of the co-creation of great public places.Social Innovation: building and measuring social value through the design and evaluation of social projects, programmes, and services.
Agenskalns market:
Open since 1898, Agenskalna market is a historical market in Pardaugava and has a status of a national monument of culture. In January 2018 the market was closed because of its poor condition. In May 2018 Kalnciema Quarter won the rent rights for a 30 year period from the Riga City Council to undertake another urban revitalisation project – a renovation of Agenskalna market in the neighbourhood close to Kalnciema Quarter. Now, the revitalisation process has started and is managed by a team of one of the most vibrant urban places in the city – Kalnciema Quarter. Agenskalna market is open all week, except Mondays, but weekends are the busiest days. The market gathers local farmers and Street Food stalls, develops sustainable ideas and contemporary tendencies, collaborates with creative people, civic activists and businesses from the neighbourhood and beyond. During the warm season you can also enjoy rich cultural life – concerts, workshops, discussions, performances etc.
KQ will be involved in WP2, Agenskalns food hub in Riga, as well as other work packages.
Municipality of Nitra, NITRA
Website URL: https://www.nitra.sk/
Nitra is the fourth largest city in Slovakia, and capital of the Nitra region. It lies in the valley of the river Nitra, in western Slovakia, between flatlands and mountains. It is also one of the oldest cities in the country. In terms of settlement structure of the Slovak Republic, the city of Nitra is defined as a centre of supraregional to nationwide importance and in some specific functions of international importance. It is considered an important growth pole in regional context, however, due to its proximity to the capital city of Bratislava, there are polarisation and agglomeration effects currently present with a high probability of becoming stronger. The economic base of the city is predominantly industrial. The city of Nitra is dubbed as the location of the largest agricultural centre of the Slovak Republic as well as a university city. Its landscape and surroundings as well as demographic situation have changed considerably in the last three decades. During this period, Nitra has experienced net population loss (since 1997 Nitra has lost almost 6.4 thousand residents) mainly because of suburbanisation processes as well as outmigration from the region and, in recent years, foreign immigration.
The Municipality of Nitra represents the lowest level of territorial unit and self-government in Slovakia. The city is governed by the Mayor (Marek Hattas) and the City Council. The Mayor is the head of the city and its chief executive. The city council is the legislative body, with 31 council members. The head of the Nitra City Hall is the Head of Municipal Office, responsible for operations for the majority of departments at the city hall. .
The recent increase in economic activities and immigration has led to problems of congestion, public services provision and inclusion. The city is trying to resolve these problems by promoting alternative modes of transport – mainly bicycle transport. City management have also vowed to be the first city in Slovakia to prepare a comprehensive migration policy. The first step was establishing a Community Centre for Work and Knowledge Mobility, the first of its kind in Slovakia. They also implemented participatory budgeting through the programme “I’m changing my city”, financing innovative public benefit activities, revitalisation of public spaces and creative ideas of Nitra’s citizens. In 2019, Nitra City organised a participatory workshop “Hackathon” with the chief architect of the city, other experts and citizens aiming to revitalise and redesign the pedestrian zone.
NITRA will be actively involved in all tasks in WP4, Reversible Multifunctional Open-source Urban Landscape in Nitra.
