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Industrial Heritage Landscape of the Lielupe River in Latvia

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Industrial Heritage Landscape of the Lielupe River in Latvia Scientific Journal of Latvia University of Agriculture Landscape Architecture and Art, Volume 10, Number 10 Industrial Heritage Landscape of the Lielupe River in Latvia Daiga Zigmunde, Anna Katlapa, Latvia University of Agriculture Abstract. The development of production always brings about changes in the landscape, with the emergence of new architectural and technological elements. Due to the changes in technologies and as a result of geopolitical processes, often the existing plants are no longer used or new production facilities built, and thus the post-industrial landscapes emerge. Over time, those once so important production facilities have become the main feature of the identity of a particular site, which is associated not only with visual, but also mental recognisibility of the site through traditions, products manufactured and memories of the local people. Together, this all forms an industrial heritage whose preservation or inclusion in a new modern image, with the emergence of post-industrial landscapes, is becoming an increasingly topical issue. This article deals with the industrial heritage landscape of the Lielupe River in Latvia. Since ancient times the Lielupe River, as one of the largest rivers in Latvia with rich mineral resources, has been an important element in the development of economic activities and production in Latvia. The aim of the research was to identify the causes of the formation of industrial heritage and its impact on the Lielupe cultural landscape. As a result of the research, the main visual and spatial features created by the industrial heritage have been identified in various significant historical periods in Latvia including the present time. Keywords: post-industrial areas, historical analysis of the landscape, impact of industrialization Introduction Industrialization is one of the most significant free market economy. The economic downturn was processes in modern history, which still affects followed by a high unemployment rate and economic, social, geopolitical and landscape various social problems related to that [12]. changes [4]. Industrial landscapes can be divided Latvia (alongside with Moldova, Armenia, Romania according to their physical characteristics – the and Bulgaria) was one of the countries which was industrial elements existing in the landscape – into: most severely affected by the collapse of the linear industrial landscapes (hydroelectric power Soviet regime [21]. Landscapes of post-industrial stations and dams, roads and railways), geological territories in Latvia consist of former industrial industrial landscapes (raw material mining quarries, territories and engineering infrastructure serving mines), industrial manufacturing landscapes and them, derelict military territories, surrounding urban industrial landscapes (industrial areas on the residential areas as well as the buildings which were outskirts of the city) [16]. The landscape is started in the Soviet period and left unfinished till changing, therefore industrial landscapes should be this very day [6]. The land privatization process perceived as a process that can also be classified by initiated after the restoration of independence has the degree of industrialization. Mines and quarries been one of the reasons for the fragmentation of are considered to be the primary production property nowadays, which has had an impact on the landscapes. The discovery of new energy sources management and harmonious inclusion of post- leads to the emergence of heavy industry landscapes, industrial areas in the contemporary landscape. which are regarded as the highest point of After joining the European Union in 2004, foreign industrialization. After various stages of capital began to flow into Latvia more rapidly which industrialization under various circumstances post- also contributed to the revitalization of post- industrial and new industrial landscapes can be industrial areas. formed [11; 19; 22]. In the USA and in Western Post-industrial areas have a significant potential Europe, the issue of post-industrial areas became of becoming an industrial heritage as an more topical in the 70's of the 20th century, when, evidence of ever-so-important economic activities after the so-called "30 golden years", economic and traditions of a particular region or place, stagnation followed leading to the closure of many as well as a link between the modern world and the factories and unemployment [12]. past [5]. The concept of industrial heritage In Eastern Europe, which was still incorporated originated in the middle of the 20th century in Great in the USSR till the end of the 20th century, the Britain during the Great Depression, when many issue of post-industrial territories became topical production facilities were pulled down, after the collapse of the Soviet Union. The thus losing the evidence of the former conditions determining the emergence of post- industrial landscape . industrial areas were associated with the transition The industrial heritage landscapes are very from a planned and state-controlled economy to a diverse due to their evolving over time. Many of 81 Scientific Journal of Latvia University of Agriculture Landscape Architecture and Art, Volume 10, Number 10 the transformation of the territories by levelling, preserving them in their existing state, transforming or restoring them. The Lielupe and Daugava rivers are the largest rivers in Latvia. They have been actively involved in people's economic activities since ancient times, both as transport routes and as a resource. That is the reason why several industrial complexes had been built on the banks of these rivers. The aim of the current research was to identify the causes of the formation of the industrial heritage and its impact on the Lielupe cultural landscape in Latvia. Material and methods Research object The Lielupe River is the largest river in Zemgale region. Its length reaches 119 km [18]. Consequently, the cultural landscape of the river is diverse since it flows through different types of landscapes (Fig. 1) – agricultural, forest, marshes, protected areas, industrial and urban landscapes. The geological structure of the Lielupe region has played a decisive role in the development of Fig.1. Diverse landscape of the Lielupe River production in this region. It is mainly characterized [Source: created by author] by Quaternary period formations, which form the them represent the manufacturing processes, bulk of the mineral deposits of the Lielupe region – technologies and local economic traditions. clay, dolomite, gypsum, peat, sand and gravel, Others are products of global achievements. whereas in the northern part – Devonian sedimentary Some turn into polluted, dangerous, semi-degraded rocks are found – mainly dolomite, limestone, less territories due to decline in the local economic clay, gypsum and marlstone. One of the most fertile activities. Most often historical and currently non- soil types in Latvia – sod carbonate soils and brown functioning manufacturing areas are located close to soils – are also located in the Lielupe area, which the historic centers of cities or water courses, in contribute to the development of intensive places which presently have a high value of land [2]. agriculture in the southern part of the Lielupe [18]. Consequently, the inclusion of industrial heritage in According to the administrative division, the the contemporary landscape is a topical subject of Lielupe flows through 6 municipalities: Bauska, urban planning, architecture, landscape architecture Rundāle, Ozolnieki, Jelgava, Babīte and Jurmala and other fields [3]. municipalities, and two cities are located on the Visual quality is an important argument for the banks of the river: Jelgava and Jurmala. Each protection of industrial buildings, but these municipality provides for the improvement of the structures can rarely be considered beautiful. ecological quality of the Lielupe waters, but only a Therefore, the industrial heritage in the cultural few mention the improvement of the access to water. landscape is more than just the buildings of an The development plans of the territory of Jelgava, enterprise, it is the combined ability of the facility’s Ozolnieki, Bauska and Jurmala local self- history and buildings to narrate a story [8]. governments include the creation and expansion of If nowadays the industrial heritage of the 19th the recreational zone of the Lielupe River bank by century and early 20th century finds new organizing the infrastructure for pedestrians and applications as tourism objects, residential cyclists by installing recreation areas, wharfs, jetties, complexes, etc., then the industrialization of the foot-bridges and other infrastructure amenities that Soviet period in society is perceived would restore life by and in the water [1; 14; 15]. as a transformation of the rural landscape Following the regulations of the Lielupe and the disappearance of its traditional form management adopted in 2011, which address and identity [12]. only the Lielupe River section of Jurmala and Nowadays the industrial heritage territories in Babite municipalities, the main goals of the Lielupe Latvia have a dual destiny. Due to the lack of economic exploitation are promotion of water management, they naturally collapse and in the long transport, preservation and enhancement of run vegetation takes over the territory, leaving recreational areas, achieving the ecological quality behind ruins. The second development scenario is of water, preservation
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