ORGANIZERS:

III. INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN CONFERENCE

MARCH 27-28, 2025. IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF LATVIA

“ARCHITECTURE STARTS WHERE WORDS VEER OFF”
GUNĀRS BIRKERTS

GENERAL SPONSORS:

PICTURES FROM RIXARCH 2025

Conference Opening

Agnese Lace - Minister of Culture of the Republic of Latvia

Attendees

Conference Opening

1/14

Day 1 Pictures

Day 2 Pictures

CFP

Let there be light – fiat lux

All material in nature, the mountains and the streams and the air and we, are made of Light which has been spent, and this crumpled mass called material casts a shadow, and the shadow belongs to the Light.

Louis Khan | Silence & Lignt

Let There Be Light may be, in fact, one of the most inspiring quotes ever written. We are not just dependent on light, but life itself couldn’t exist without it. Light's significance in science, architecture, art, and philosophy has been a subject of investigation and contemplation for centuries. Light's substance and elusive properties continue to baffle us. Light behaves as if intelligent, knowing that someone is watching it perform. Newton’s prism revealed its colorful nature as both light and matter; consequently, Light MATTERS.

Architecture is not just a container for light but a medium that interacts with its magnificence. Form and materiality cannot be visually perceived or experienced bodily without the presence of light. The absence of light, or 'Lightless’ (Lobell, 2008), is a condition of darkness, formless and void, perhaps a moment before the expansion of time and space.

Volume zero refers to Kelvin’s definition of when all motion stops and gas freezes into a solid state when the vibratory motion of particles ceases at absolute zero. Volume zero also defines an immensely dense moment before the spatial expansion of the universe. Scientists describe this black physical state as void of space, light, and gravity, as a condition before the Big Bang. The observed universe continues to expand at amazing speed, defying our understanding of space, time, and light.

Louis Kahn (born Estonian), a master of form and light, defined volume zero as his search for beginnings and being, a pursuit foundational to the material and spiritual aspects of his architecture. For countless years, human beings walked the earth following the light and created volumes from the primitive hut to modern classics as a tribute to light.

Light, an electromagnetic wave and a photon, triggers chemical reactions on our retina and fires up neurons in our visual cortex. It is the magical origin of life and vital for architecture.

Light MATTERS is the theme for the RIXARCH 2025 Architectural Design Conference. This unique event will not only celebrate the Nordic masters but also provide a platform to learn from their innovative practices. RIXArch 2025 will feature Gunnar Birkerts as the Conference Focus on his 100th. anniversary. Birkerts, dubbed the master of light, used light apertures and the illumination they produced for practical and symbolic purposes in his architecture. He used light to direct views, indicate movement, highlight edges, fill spaces, and bring attention to ritual, working together to support his highly metaphorical architecture.

RIXArch 2025 / III. The International Architectural Design Conference will be held on March 27-28, 2025, in Riga, Latvia. Organized by RISEBA University Faculty of Architecture and Design in collaboration with the Latvian National Library and Arhiteksti Foundation, the conference aims to bring together distinguished and emerging scholars and host an international forum to facilitate discussions on current issues in architecture.

Proposals from all over the world are welcome and all submitted abstracts will undergo a double-blind peer review. Full papers will be published in the ADAMARTS Journal after the conference. We invite you to join us at the RIXARCH Conference.

“I come from the north,” Birkerts says, “where light is not very plentiful and so I have an intuitive feel about light. I know how to take in, reﬂect it, deﬂect it.”

Gunnar Birkerts (Schwartz, 2005)

Lobell, J., Between Silence and Light- Spirit in the Architecture of Louis Kahn, 2008

Schwartz, M., Daylight and Meaning in the Architecture of Gunnar Birkerts, 2005

Speakers

Keynote Speakers

Martin Schwartz

Martin Schwartz is an architect and teacher with a special interest in daylight in architecture. He is a co-author of the book, Gunnar Birkerts, Metaphoric Modernist, published in 2009 by Edition Axel Menges. Martin completed his M.Arch degree at the University of California, Los Angeles in 1977. He has taught at the University of Plymouth (UK), the University of Michigan, Cranbrook Academy of Art, the University of Oregon as the Frederick Charles Baker Distinguished Professor in Lighting, and, since 2005, at Lawrence Technological University in Detroit.

Martin is a co-founder and editorial director of AWARDS, the annual journal of the Huron Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. He is currently working on two books, Those Who Love the World Don’t Mind Being Reminded of It, on the work of Charles W. Moore; and In Good Light, on daylight in architecture. Martin’s blog and writings on daylight and other subjects may be found at martinschwartz.net.

Dirk Jan Postel

Dirk Jan Postel has worked for over 30 years on a variety of projects, large and small. Among his best known projects are the Museum Voorlinden in Wassenaar, the Dutch Ambassador’s Residence in Beijing, the Town Hall of Den Bosch and a zero-energy villa near Alicante. His work is characterized by transparency, contextual sensibility, simple modernism and perfection of detailing. Scale is not important: the city office of Utrecht counts for 75.000 m2, an innovative glass pavilion in Burgundy just 20 m2. All projects are adventurous discoveries of space, function and materials. With interiors, furniture and jewellery Postel is entering the realm of design.

Postel has taught and lectured on 4 continents. He is an active protagonist of electric driving and zero-energy techniques. His aim is to create buildings with a positive footprint. While complying with the technical demands of circular construction, beauty + comfort + wonder prevail: Better buildings for better lives. Dirk Jan Postel has been a senior partner of Kraaijvanger Architects (1988-2022) and continues to work with the office.

Per Olaf Fjeld

Per Olaf Fjeld is professor emeritus at The Oslo School of Architecture and Design where he taught for many years and was rector for two terms. At present, he runs a small studio with his wife Emily Randall Fjeld. He received a master degree in Louis I. Kahn’s masterclass studio at the University of Pennsylvania, 1972-73, and upon his return to Norway he worked for Sverre Fehn with whom he developed a life-long friendship and experienced many years teaching together at the Oslo school. Fjeld returned to Philadelphia in 1984-5 to do research at the Louis I Kahn Archives on a Fulbright-Hays grant. He participated in The International Laboratory of Architecture and Urban Design (ILAUD) for 18 years, and he served as the president of the European Association of Architectural Education (EAAE) for three years.

He has lectured throughout the world and has had a number of guest professorships. In 2010, he received an honorary professorship from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, and he was awarded Knight 1st class in the Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav in 2019.

Fjeld has written a number of books and articles among these: Sverre Fehn The Thought of Construction, Rizzoli International Press, Sverre Fehn The Pattern of Thoughts, The Monacelli Press, Hands ON: 16 prototypes, Østberg/The Greenway Group, Louis I Kahn The Nordic Latitudes, The University of Arkansas Press, and The Power of Circumstance Architecture and Creative independence KADK Copenhagen.

Oskar Storm

Oskar has been in the glass business since 1998. Up until 2014 he worked for Emmaboda Glas, where he started in the back office for interior products. The close proximity to production became a great source of learning and interest. From sales he transferred to production controlling and further to be production manager for three years starting 2004.
He then took a step back to coordinate supply of façade projects from production to customer. He advanced to KAM for façade customer and handled delivery of over 40 façade projects. As the Emmaboda production shifted focus to regional business in 2007 he and colleague Roger Bengtsson started a project trade business with sister companies, first in Germany and then more and more with Estonia. His last 2 years in Glassolutions was spent as a sales person for Baltiklaas.

Giulio Camiz

Giulio Camiz graduated in 2004 at Roma Tre University. After working as an architect and urban planner, since 2009 he works at VELUX Italia s.p.a, first as a designer and consultant in Lazio and from 2017 as a specialist in training and dissemination on the subject of daylight and architecture, through lectures and workshops for designers throughout Italy. He is also a regular speaker for VELUX Italia in technical seminars, video-training and conferences at professional orders and universities on issues of energy sustainability, Nearly Zero Energy Building and Active House.

Program

Program
Click here for the program

Venue

National Library of Latvia

Topics

White Paper Topics

2025 THEME:
Light MATTERS
2025 FOCUS:
Gunnar Birkerts and Nordic Masters

Conference Info

Calendar

REGISTRATION DEADLINE

DECEMBER 20, 2024

SUBMISSION OF FULL PAPERS FOR POST-CONFERENCE PUBLICATION

JUNE 15, 2025

GDPR Notice

The public event will be photographed and filmed. Photo and video materials will be processed and used for publicity purposes. By being at the event site, you acknowledge that you have been informed and have no objection to being photographed, filmed and included in the audio and / or visual materials of the event review, which will be published in RISEBA and other informational channels.
The processing of information containing all personal data in the event will be used with the basic principles of personal data processing and confidentiality requirements specified in RISEBA internal documents.

Publication

In collaboration with ADAMarts Journal by RISEBA University (ISSN 2256-0890), all accepted full papers will be brought together in a special dossier (expected at the end of the year) carried out by the ADAMarts Editorial Board.

ADAMARTS

Registration

Upon receiving your acceptance, you must complete your registration process to confirm your participation.

Registration includes full access to all sessions, coffee breaks, lunch, and closing reception, plus conference materials, certificate.

- The certificate will state that you have attended the event and made your presentation. It will contain a wet-ink signature, mention all authors of the paper and be given to you at the end of the day.

- A registration has to be made for each presentation.

- A single registration covers the in-person participation of one author. If other authors of your manuscript would like to attend the event in person, an additional Listener registration has to be made.

- You cannot be the first author of three or more papers.

- There are no poster or video-presentation options but if, for unforeseen reasons, you cannot attend the event, you can still join your session online and you will be sent an e-certificate (not physical copies).

- For professional courtesy and to increase the quality and variety of the academic discussions, we kindly ask you to spend the whole day in the venue. Presenters are expected to present their work in the designated sessions and we will not be able to make changes based on non-academic reasons. Please make sure that your travel itinerary and personal schedule fit the conference program.

GENERAL AUDIENCE

REGISTRATION FEES

ENTRANCE

The conference is for free, but you must register to attend. March 24 is the deadline for registration.

CONFERENCE PACKAGE

65 Euros

This product offer is for professionals who need to receive a certificate with Latvian Architects Association approval and for co-authors who will personally attend the conference. You will get conference materials, be able to participate in the lunch, receptions, and social activities, and receive a LATVIJAS ARHITEKTU SAVIENĪBAS CERTIFICATE FOR CREDITS proving your participation.

You can pay either by credit card through PayPal or by wire transfer. Please contact us at rixarchconference@riseba.lv if you will pay by wire transfer to receive an invoice.

March 24 is the deadline for registration.

Previous Conferences

2024

2024 PROGRAM.pdf

BLIND SPOTS IN ARCHITECTURE- RIXARCH 24 Proceedings.pdf

2023

2023 Program - Rixarch

2023- Proceedings - IMAGINED THING

Team

Scientific Committee

in alphabetical order

Dina Suhanova foto_Markovskis-6420_edite

DINA SUHANOVA (LV)

Dina Suhanova is a research fellow at the recently founded Institute of Contemporary Art, Design and Architecture of the Art Academy of Latvia. Dina has a diploma in Architecture and a Master of Arts degree in History and Theory of Art and Culture. Parallel to several years in architecture practice, Dina has turned her interests toward processes, research and activities related to contemporary architecture culture. Dina has been an editor of numerous academic publications and frequently contributes with writings and publications to local and international journals. In recent years Dina has also performed as an Architecture programme director, and lecturer at RISEBA and led various interdisciplinary projects related to the architecture field and education. In 2019 Dina was a co-curator of the international conference “Architecture of Migration” organized by the Latvian Association of Architects as part of the Union of International Architects forum in Riga.

From 2022 Dina is one of the researchers working in the Latvian Science council funded State research program project “Landscapes of Identities: History, Culture, and Environment” (IDEUM) within the Art Academy of Latvia.

EFE DUYAN (TR)

Efe Duyan, born in İstanbul in 1981, teaching theory, history, and design at Mimar Sinan FAU since 2013. He has affiliated with several universities for research or guest lectures, such as Berlin Technical University, Ca' Foscari University, Minnesota University, Istanbul Technical University, Atalanta University, Iowa University, George Washington University, and Boston Massachusetts University.

His fields of research are contemporary design, critical design perspectives, spatial experience, architectural writing and theory, Early Modernism, and the history of Eastern Mediterranean architecture. He has studied architecture and philosophy at METU (BA - 2005), History and Theory of Architecture at YTU (M.S.-2008), and History of Architecture in Mimar Sinan FAU (PhD-2013).

As an advocate of freedom of expression and creative thinking, he has been an active cultural actor curating international events, workshops, and conferences, in addition to his work in academic editorship.

HELĒNA GŪTMANE (LV)

Helēna Gutmane is a landscape architect, urbanist, urban activist, and planner. She is a partner and process designer at atelier for landscaping, public and private spaces ALPS and lecturer at RISEBA. She is co-founder of Urban Institute Riga and member of Riga centre development association (RCAB). Helena studied philology at University of Moscow and University of Latvia, obtained qualification landscape architecture at Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, planning of human settlements at Architecture department, University of Leuven. As a principal landscape architect and process designer she has been participated in numerous projects of public space reconstructions and competitions in Latvia and abroad, has led applied research projects concerning publics spaces, worked in competition juries in Latvia, Russia and Ukraine. As urban activist she has been involved in international federation of landscape architects (IFLA) as chair of UIA working group which aim was to unite professionals from spatial design disciplines around idea of empathy through design.

RUDOLFS DAINIS ŠMITS (LV)

Dean of the Faculty of Architecture, MA Architecture programme director

Rudolfs Dainis Šmits, Dipl. Arch., is a dean of the faculty and MA Architecture programme director, lecturer. Dainis is also a globally experienced architect – currently leading his own practice RDSA Studio based in Riga. He studied architecture, art history and painting at the University of Illinois, Chicago and theology at Covenant Theological Seminary. St. Louis in the USA.

Academic interest and research include architecture theory – a critical approach to design and reading architecture distinguishing between idea, concept and affect vs. projective architecture. He is investigating architectural space and aspects of memory, meaning, duration, transcendence, presence and parallel investigations in abstract painting – exhibited locally and internationally (e.g. Latvia, Estonia and the USA). His projects have received local recognition and international citations for design excellence (e.g. LAS, AIA). Previous teaching experience – adjunct faculty member at Riga Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, 2nd-year studio design instructor and professional practice lecturer (2000-2003).

SUSANNE BRORSON (DE)

Susanne Brorson graduated from Bauhaus-University in Weimar in 2004 with a Diploma in Architecture, with studies at the University of the Arts in Berlin and Politecnico di Milano, Italy. She has been working with Jarmund Vigsnaes in Oslo, East and Stephen Taylor Architects in London and Gonzalez Haase AAS in Berlin, before setting up her own award-winning practice STUDIO SUSANNE BRORSON on the Baltic Island of Rügen. Susanne is currently finalizing her PhD on ‘Climate-responsive design strategies in Baltic vernacular architecture’ at Berlin Technical University Berlin. She has been assistant professor at Brandenburg Technical University as well as adjunct professor at Potsdam School of Architecture, before being appointed professor at Wismar University of Technology 2019-2021. Susanne is currently guest professor and member of the academic council at RISEBA FAD University in Riga.

ZANE VĒJA (LV)

Zane Vēja, Mg. arch. started her academic career as a lecturer at RISEBA FAD, teaching urban design, architecture history and architectural design-related courses; at the same time, she is the director of RISEBA FAD bachelor’s degree programme. Her undergraduate and postgraduate work focused on urban public space development proposals in historical environments: the Jēkabpils historical centre (BA) and Riga Central Market and Central Railway Station territory (MA). She gained international experience while studying at Istanbul Bahcesehir University in 2014-2015.