A symbolic time capsule has been embedded at GUSTAVS Business Center
On Thursday, December 16, real estate developer GALIO Group together with construction company MERKS, SEB Global Services centre in Riga and architect company SIA Vilnis Miculis gathered to place a symbolic time capsule at the construction site of the brand new and sustainable GUSTAVS Business Center. It is planned that 1100 employees of SEB Global Services will move their operations to GUSTAVS Business Center already in the beginning of 2023.
GUSTAVS Business Center is the first project to be launched in Riga planned by GALIO Group and the first building of the GUSTAVS Business Center will be a tailor-made office for SEB Global Services centre in Riga. GUSTAVS Business Center complex will consist of three sustainable buildings with its main areas such as recreational spaces and event space aiming to ensure comfort both for employees and visitors.
The project is located in the business VEF area – Gustava Zemgala gatve 73 – that is an accessible place by both public and private transport, connecting the central part of the city and the other important districts of Riga.
Kaspars Beitiņš, Member of the Board of GALIO Development in Latvia: “VEF area is one of the most progressively developing areas in Riga and we are happy to be a part of it by developing brand new business space for companies working in Latvia. Buildings must serve the people, protect the environment and create a harmonious city – this is the foundation of GALIO Group's activities and the message we pass on to future generations. At the same time, for us, this is a special moment as GUSTAVS Business Center is the GALIO Group's debut project in Latvia. With the knowledge of finished office complex projects in Lithuania, we aim to deliver outstanding and sustainable business space for great teams in Riga.”
Andris Bišmeistars, Member of the Board and Construction Director of SIA Merks: "The time capsule embedding ceremony marks the beginning of the construction of the first building of the GUSTAVS Business Center. We are pleased to supplement the urban environment of Riga with a modern and appropriate working environment for young professionals. This is a particularly important project for us as a company as well, as it will be the first time we have built a facility according to the highest sustainability requirements of the BREEAM Excellent certificate. In the capsule, we have placed a traditionally woven bookmark with symbols of strength, success and knowledge to ensure that the future of the new business centre is full of success."
Aļesja Kirčenko, Deputy Head of SEB Global Services centre in Riga: “The new office will represent a start of a new chapter for our organization in Riga, bringing together all colleagues under one roof and moving into a new environment of collaboration and co-creation. We believe that after the pandemic the office will continue to play an important role as a place to meet and learn from each other as well as share our culture. For us, it is a long-term investment and GUSTAVS will be a strong foundation for SEB Global Services in Riga for years to come. Our ambition is to build one of the most modern and inspiring offices in Riga with the help of our employees and our partners.”
Fricis Vilnis, Architect, SIA Vilnis Mičulis: “The designed office buildings quarter will be a significant addition to Riga and the entire Riga urban environment. The project includes several, basically - unprecedented - solutions, which demonstrate a particularly high understanding and responsibility for the urban environment - thus emphasizing not only the spatial structure of the city, but also including its sociological parameters. The scale in which solutions such as the car-free overground, the "shared street" principle, architectural solutions with shared areas both outdoors and indoors, spacious and diverse amenities for all social groups are designed is unique; therefore I would like to express gratitude to the developers of the quarter for accepting such solutions."
The project GUSTAVS Business Center has been designed as six-storey office buildings with a two-level underground car park, atrium with wooden skylight structure, roof terraces, conference halls, restaurant zone, electric car charging opportunities, bicycle storage and locker rooms. The project is currently being developed complying with BREEAM Excellent international standard for sustainable buildings.
The name of GUSTAVS Business Center has been created in honour of Gustavs Zemgals, the second President of Latvia (1927-1930). This summer in Latvia was celebrated the 150th anniversary of the second President of Latvia. At the same time, this year is very important for GUSTAVS Business Center development which is coinciding with this special anniversary.
The architects and project authors of GUSTAVS Business center are SIA Vilnis Miculis. Construction supervision is provided by SIA Buvuzraugi LV.
GALIO Group is a Lithuania-based company engaged in sustainable real estate development. The company owns several land plots in Riga – on Brīvības Street, Daugavgrīvas Street and Gustava Zemgala gatve – where it plans to develop multifunctional projects and offer Riga’s market about 110 thousand. sq.m. of modern office space and about 2 000 new apartments.
