The Research for Aesthetic Quality of Residential Areas in Latvia and Finland

Abstract

The process of improving the residential areas in Latvia’s cities and their visual and aesthetic quality at the beginning of the 21st century is very slow. Legislation, lack of professionals in institutions, bureaucratic burden of decision-making and other factors create an unnecessary hierarchy. The current instability of the country’s economic and political situation contributes to an imbalance in the psycho-emotional state of society. The permissiveness of society and the desire of citizens to park their cars closer to their front doors are negative features. The construction of multi-storey garages and removing vehicles from courtyards are not a priority for city authorities. The courtyards of apartment blocks built in Latvia in the 1950s–1970s were planned in the post-war years when the number of cars was minimal. The only space in the courtyards was for footpaths, a small play area and a sports field. The rest of the courtyard was lawn and tree planting to provide easy access for emergency vehicles. More than half a century has passed, and today’s task is not easy, as the trees have grown to a great height and are forming shade. In turn, footpaths have lost the purpose to which they led many decades ago. As the political system collapses, the format of living space must change. A new generation is emerging with a new demand for quality. The socio-political and national economic fluctuations are far from easy to stop in the 21st century. There is an apparent lack of cooperation in several planning processes that would ensure the visual and functional quality of urban space at different levels. Latvia’s cities are currently on the path of developing new residential open spaces. Therefore, the study looks at several examples of residential neighbourhoods in Helsinki, Finland, and compares them with residential neighbourhoods in Jelgava, Latvia.