As part of the European Heritage Days, a free, public lecture will take place on September 6 at 1:00 PM at the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia. The renowned Danish landscape architect Torben Schønherr will share his professional approach and experiences in creating aesthetical high-quality and accessible environment.
This year, the main theme of the European Heritage Days is the accessibility and safety of cultural heritage spaces. Landscape architect Torben Schønherr will focus on this theme in his lecture, presenting specific examples from his practice to the Latvian audience. Throughout his long-standing career, Schønherr has worked in all disciplines of landscape architecture and on various scales, including urban planning projects. In this lecture, organized in collaboration with the Latvian Association of Architects, he will present works on sites of high cultural and historical value, aiming to preserve, highlight, and make these values accessible.
This year, the European Heritage Days will focus on the theme of accessibility and safety in cultural heritage spaces. In his lecture, landscape architect Torben Schønherr will share specific examples from his practice. Throughout his extensive career, Schønherr has worked across all disciplines of landscape architecture and on projects of varying scales, including urban planning. This lecture, organised in collaboration with the Latvian Association of Architects, will showcase his work on sites of significant cultural and historical value, highlighting his efforts to preserve, enhance, and make these sites more accessible.
Schønherr has been praised for such projects as the Cathedral Square in Ribe, Denmark’s oldest town, the historic old town of Viborg, Hjelm medieval church, and the historic limestone mines of Mønsted. He has also focused on the principles of universal design, which he applied in the Vestled Trail to the beach. Located in western Denmark by the North Sea, the trail allows everyone, regardless of physical ability, to enjoy the dune landscape and beach, demonstrating both a functional and creative approach and capturing the spirit of the place.
“As a landscape architect, Torben Schønherr expands the space between the deep roots of cultural heritage and the stars in the galaxies. He embraces the grandeur of history and allows his knowledge to materialize in close contact and humility towards the place, creating remarkable works with a clear understanding,” said the jury in 2018 presenting Torben the Christian Frederik Hansen Award – the highest recognition awarded to an architect in Denmark.
“Ensuring accessibility in a historic environment is challenging, as, due to conservation considerations, it had initially been intended inaccessible. Nowadays, as the function has changed, it is important to wisely and responsibly open cultural and historical values to the public. In the historic centre of Riga, both the updating of its layout and the implementation of accessibility solutions for the streets of Old Riga are currently underway. Historical buildings are being restored both in the capital and in the regions. While each case must be considered individually,
I am convinced that Danish examples will also serve as inspiration for local specialists since architects play a leading role in creating accessible spaces and, thus, an inclusive society,”
noted Artūrs Lapiņš, Chairman of the Board of the Latvian Association of Architects and restoration architect.
Torben Schønherr (born in 1943 in Denmark) is a landscape architect with extensive experience in planning squares, historic gardens, and implementing various urban projects. In 1984, he founded the landscape architecture company “Schønherr”; he was a member of the board until 2014. Schønherr continues to work individually and is the author of several books and publications. He delivers lectures on senior-friendly cities, the approach to universal design, and improving the accessibility of historic city centres, buildings, and parks. Alongside his work in landscape architecture, he also writes poetry.
Time: September 6 at 1:00 PM
Venue: Marijas Street 13/3, Riga – Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office.
Language: English.
Entry is free, but pre-registration is required. Registration via this link is open until reaching the maximum number of attendees: https://forms.gle/D5m6psZ5QfdLiiDF9
To learn more about the European Heritage Days, please follow this link to the website of the National Cultural Heritage Administration.
