NRJA Architecture Firm Awarded First Place in Liepāja Theatre Small Hall Extension Design Competition

On Wednesday, 30 October, the winning bid for the Liepāja Theatre Small Hall Extension design competition was announced at the Liepāja Theatre by the tender jury. The architectural firm NRJA was awarded first place for their design.

Earning an €8,000 prize and advancing to the negotiation stage for the project contract, the 1st place winner NRJA, was followed by “Sarma & Norde arhitekti”, who received second place and €4,000, while “Arhis Arhitekti” Ltd, in collaboration with “Ainavu Studija” Ltd, won third place and €2,000.

Incentive prizes of €500 each were awarded to “AB3D” Ltd and “Michael Wallraff ZT GmbH”.

As Eva Ciekurze, Liepāja Theatre Board member, explained, “The winning project design does not simply coexist with the historic Liepāja Theatre building; it becomes a natural extension of it. Authors have shown a profound respect for Liepāja’s architectural legacy, using materials and design choices that honour the theatre’s storied past and succeeded not by creating something that competes with the original structure, but by designing a space that welcomes and includes it, symbolizing the spirit of connection and continuity”.

Following the announcement, the teams will undergo a qualification check to ensure compliance with competition guidelines and the final results will be revealed. Once this is confirmed, negotiations for the project contract will commence with the first-place winner, as stipulated in the competition rules. If an agreement cannot be reached with first place tenderer, negotiations will move to the runner-up, with all three top designs declared viable for implementation.

The submitted designs are on public display at the Liepāja Theatre foyer (2nd and 3rd floors) from 30 October to 24 November. Theatre audiences can view the designs an hour before and after performances, while the general public is invited to attend viewings on 30-31 October and 23-24 November between 11:00 and 17:00.

The design competition, launched in June 2024, was open to architects with expertise in both modern and historic building projects. The judging panel, chaired by Ronalds Fricbergs, Executive Director of Liepāja Municipality, included experts such as City Architect Uģis Kaugurs, Architect Agate Eniņa, Technical Director of Liepāja Theatre Aurika Feldmane, Head of the Liepāja Restoration Centre Ivars Pilips, Deputy Head of the Architecture and Art Department of the National Cultural Heritage Board Nauris Piļāns, and Architect Juris Poga.

As already reported, the competition sought to modernize and expand the existing Liepāja Theatre, enhancing it with new performance and rehearsal spaces while preserving its historical value and integrating sustainable, functional architectural solutions. The bid term was 3 November.

The competition’s brief required an innovative and functional design for a Small Hall extension with a modern working environment, expanded performance space, and an additional rehearsal hall. The design also needed to address accessibility improvements and energy efficiency enhancements while respecting the cultural and historical significance of the original building.

Architects were tasked with creating a proposal that enhances the theatre’s functional space, aligns with Liepāja’s urban aesthetic, and promotes sustainability both in materials and environmental impact.

The contract value for the minimum construction design phase is estimated at €200,000, with an additional €20,000 allocated for project supervision (both amounts excluding VAT). The total construction budget (not incl. supervision costs) is estimated at €4 million, exclusive of VAT, covering all aspects of the extension and integration with the existing theatre structure.

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