Cemex in Latvia supplied specialty architectural ready-mix concrete to help realise the vision of internationally acclaimed architect, Gunnar Birkerts, to construct the Castle of Light, the centerpiece of Latvia’s new National Library, the largest national construction project in Latvia over the past 20 years. Facing the historic centre of the capital city of Riga, the innovative 13-storey, asymmetrical contemporary library will anchor a new development that includes a government centre, university build
Cemex in Latvia supplied specialty architectural ready-mix concrete to help realise the vision of internationally acclaimed architect, Gunnar Birkerts, to construct the Castle of Light, the centerpiece of Latvia’s new National Library, the largest national construction project in Latvia over the past 20 years.
Facing the historic centre of the capital city of Riga, the innovative 13-storey, asymmetrical contemporary library will anchor a new development that includes a government centre, university buildings and a concert hall. The new National Library building will contain six million books.
“We are proud that Cemex was part of this large-scale construction project in Latvia, providing high-quality concrete and tailor-made solutions to meet challenging conditions,” says Enrique A. Garcia, Cemex president in the Baltic States, Finland and Russia.
“Our ability to ensure regular and timely deliveries according to strict construction deadlines and to offer innovative building solutions underscores our company’s role as a reliable partner in the development of projects that will shape the Latvia of the future.”
Cemex delivered standard RMC for the building’s structure and foundation and specialty architectural concrete that served as a design element for the library’s interior and façade, highlighting the contemporary architecture of this imaginative castle inspired by Latvian folklore.
Gunnar Birkerts’ career includes such acclaimed works as the Federal Reserve Building in Minneapolis, Minnesota (1973), the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York (1980) and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri (1994), all USA. He is the recipient of 58 major architectural honors, including awards from the American Institute of Architects in 1975, 1996, and 2001
