Art Nouveau objects in Riga

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Audēju iela 7 (1899.)

Architect: Alfrēds Ašenkampfs

Building, which is one of the earliest in the Art Nouveau style in Riga. Owned by book publisher A. Grosset, it was a large scale alteration of an older building, which entailed a complete transformation both inside and out.
 
The facades of the building are adorned with geometric shapes, stylized floral and other relief ornamentation characteristic of the Art Nouveau, but all these elements are elegantly integrated into the building's basic architectural profile. This profile clearly leads the viewer to assume that there are shops and offices on the first two floors and residential units on the upper levels. The layout of architectural elements of the facade and the fenestration do not follow the characteristically uniform rhythm of the preceding historical style of Eclecticism.
 
The complex decoration of window apertures harmonizes with the interior layout and the overall plan. A smallish bay window highlights the building's overall image. The cornice is supported by metal corbels. The upper floor under a mansard roof is encircled by expressive metal railing. It is aesthetically but logically constructed for the practical passers-by from possible snow and icicle avalanches.

In the late 1960s the building was reconstructed to meet the needs of a design institute,destroying many interior design elements in the process. However, the facades have since been restored and today maintain their authentic essence.