The Castle of Bureaucracy
Object in the public space, 2009
The two large-scale government buildings in Latvia – the Cabinet of Ministers and the Regional Courthouse of Riga – are both located in the quarter between Brīvības,
Elizabetes and Tērbatas streets. This block is occupied by only these two buildings. It should be noted that the Cabinet building is one of the biggest monolithic buildings in Riga. Using architectonic solutions to present his view of the city and the development of the state, the author of this project proposes an architectural vision significantly increasing the size and the number of floors of these two buildings.
Expanding the Cabinet building would place all ministries under one roof, creating a Castle of Latvian Bureaucracy. By doing so it would be possible to increase work efficiency and promote information exchange. That way all public officials would be working together. The state could then put the real estate belonging to many of these ministries on the market, thus providing itself with the opportunity to fill the growing gaps in the state’s budget, simultaneously increasing the efficiency of administration and reducing the bureaucracy. The citizens in their turn would be given a chance to more easily monitor the work of public officials – the new building itself is designed as a glass structure, creating a pleasant effect of transparency. Sections of the building are designed to best comply with the specific functions of each ministry.
For example, there could be a tree nursery in the section reserved for the Ministry of the Environment or a health centre in the section intended for the Ministry of Health, etc. Public officials would not only be able to work in the same building, they would also be provided with a dormitory where those coming from more distant districts of the country or the capital could stay during the work week, enabling further efficiency. The reconstruction project of the building also foresees an apartment for the Prime Minister. A helicopter platform on the roof of the reconstructed Cabinet building would enhance the functionality of this palace of bureaucracy. The new project also foresees 6 catering establishments, one with an open terrace during the summer. The facilities of the High Court, however, will remain unchanged – the only innovation involves building a dormitory for judges and others who work in this structure.
Along with the expansion of the Cabinet building, some changes will also affect the Regional Courthouse of Riga. Three new architectural units would be built on the base of the present building to provide additional courtrooms and reduce the long queues that are the main problem of the Latvian court system. The newly created courtrooms will significantly increase the number of cases heard by the Court, ensuring that the Court of the Republic of Latvia becomes an efficient system for the application of the law. The reconstruction project also foresees the establishment of a Ministry of Justice Client Complaint Centre.