Experimental Preservation of 20th Century De-industrial Architectural Heritage in the Circular Economy: Construction Materials Laboratory and the Museum of Unbuilt Architecture in Eksportosta

In societies with collective trauma, the heritage of the 2nd half of the 20th century can be dissonant. However, its adaptive reuse contributes to the carbon neutrality goal of the EU by 2050, as it is built from carbon-intensive materials. Experimental preservation is non-demolition of objects, rather than institutional protection and it keeps the freedom of choice and architectural intervention in valorization.

The conceptual position of the diploma project is in the future - the site's urban and EU economic situation from 2030, thus offering an alternative scenario to the current development plans. The architectural goal is to create a counterculture monument by reusing a unique former port warehouse as an object with economic, production, research, education and exhibition functions. The proposal follows the principles of circular design and the idea of a quasi-object. As a result, the object both ensures circular construction and operation of Riga Port City development and is an anti-gentrification anchor in the Eksportosta neighborhood.