unconventional reflections on Dome Square,Riga

one of the main features of art nouveau architecture is the wavy lines and organic forms. the city with the most art nouveau style buildings in the world is Riga in Latvia, in particular Old Town Riga. these building are mostly from the first two decades of the 1900s with lots of creative expression in the facades. much more recently, last year in fact, a fun playhouse, or in more professional terms an interactive experience installation called Dome Next Door was constructed as a playful relaxing area for all ages in Dome Square with colorful and fantastical mix of seating areas. of special interest are the curved mirrors mischievously exaggerating the imaginative aspects of art nouveau architecture of the area to the extreme. Dome Square is the main square of the city, featuring the medieval Dome Cathedral with it's present day mix of architectural styles from various renovations. Across the square are the prominent Riga Bourse House built in the eclecticism style and the Latvia Radio building in the neo-classicism style. so viewing the square through the Dome Next Door mirrors magnifies the mix-up exponentially.

The erotic element in Art Nouveau was a significant feature, expressed through sensuous, flowing lines and organic shapes that emphasized the curves of the female form. Google AI

ministry of finance

a section of the Dome Cathedral

the Bourse House is now an art museum

the cathedral

upon leaving the zany Dome Next Door and viewing the buildings directly i was slightly relieved that the architects has exercised considerable restraint in their creative endeavours after all and the odd mix of the square seemed to make a little more sense