Wooden Structures in Latvian Architecture

The aim of the dissertation “Wooden Structures in Latvian Architecture” is to systemize and summarize the social, economic and technical aspects influencing the choice of wooden structures in Latvian architecture based on the findings of scientific literature and empirical research. The work consists of an introduction, three chapters, conclusions, a list of sources used, and seven appendices. The first chapter examines the genesis of use of wood as a building material and the selection factors that determined its use in different centuries. Information on two types of wooden construction, i.e., the construction of wooden structures in situ, and the on-site assembly of wooden buildings from factory-built structures has been systemized. Traditional types of construction of wooden buildings and industrial production in Latvia and European countries with similar and different socio-economic situation are analyzed. The second chapter analyzes the use of wooden structures in architecture, including the historical and technical aspects of development of engineered wood products, types of use, and terminology used. The experience of using wood in various building systems and experimental architectural projects in world and Latvian contemporary architecture is summarized. The third chapter provides an in-depth assessment of the experience, motivation and limitations of using wooden structures, based on the results of interviews and surveys of architects and other stakeholders. The existing norms for the design of wooden buildings, strategies for the promotion of wooden construction and the process of choosing wood as a building material in architectural projects have been compared and analyzed. The results of the research have been affirmed in 4 scientific articles published in internationally reviewed scientific journals, 11 scientific articles published in professional journals of the field and 2 articles published in other journals. These results were presented at 7 international conferences in Latvia and abroad.