On March 27, the International Architecture and Design Conference Rixarch 2025 will take place at the National Library of Latvia, hosted by the RISEBA Faculty of Architecture and Design. The theme of this year’s conference is Light Matters, which highlights the significance and intangibility of light. Both the theme and the venue have been chosen for a reason — the conference will celebrate the 100th birthday of the world-renowned architect Gunārs Birkets, the author of the National Library of Latvia, and will highlight his special relationship with light.
«I come from the North,» said Gunārs Birkerts, «where there isn’t much light, so I have an intuitive understanding of light. I know how to perceive it, reflect it, and direct it.» Gunārs Birkerts is considered a master of light, using light openings and the lighting they create for both practical and symbolic purposes in his projects. He used light to demonstrate movement, highlight, fill space, and draw attention. «Gunārs Birkerts’ architectural projects were metaphorical; they had context, and they created emotions,» emphasises Dainis Rudolfs Šmits, the Dean of RISEBA University’s Faculty of Architecture and Design (FAD), one of the conference organisers.
On March 27, the National Library of Latvia, aslo called the Castle of Light, will bring together creative professionals from around the world. The keynote speakers will be architects Martin Schwartz (USA), Dirk Jan Postel (Netherlands), Per Olaf Fjeld (Norway), and Giulio Camiz (Italy). During the conference, northern architecture masters will be honoured, and an environment will be created to inspire and learn from their experiences.
One of the most interesting events at Rixarch 2025 will be a panel discussion, which will be open to all interested parties free of charge. «With this, we aim not only to attract professionals from our field but also residents of Riga. We want to show that architecture and design are for all of us. The theme of the conference — light as a symbol — is significant for every Latvian, regardless of their profession. Light is what makes our lives beautiful, valuable, and meaningful,» says Dainis Rudolfs Šmits. The organisers of the conference are pleased to welcome people from various fields of interest, offering an affordable ticket price of 10 euros.
Representatives from all creative sectors are invited to apply for participation in the conference by submitting an abstract of your research. All submissions will undergo double-blind scientific peer review. Accepted abstracts will be published in the conference proceedings, and authors will be able to access them on the day of the conference.
For more information and tickets, visit the Rixarch website.
Rixarch 2025 Conference organisers: RISEBA FAD, the National Library of Latvia, and the foundation Arhiteksti. Conference sponsors: the world’s largest manufacturer of roof windows and their accessories, Velux, and one of the leading producers of plasterboard, metal profiles, and construction materials in both Latvia and globally — Knauf. The conference is supported by the Latvian Association of Architects.
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