Knowledge Transfer and Advanced Urban Planning in the Newly Established Ring of Boulevards in Riga: The Case of the First Municipal Gas Factory

Abstract

This article examines the history of Riga’s first gas factory as both a contributor to, and witness of, the Industrial Revolution in Riga. The factory became an important urban landmark in the rapidly growing city due to its sophisticated architecture as well as its central placement in the most picturesque recreational area of the city, namely, in the surroundings of the city canal greenery. This article aims to examine how the knowledge transfer is embodied in Riga’s first municipal gasworks, its transnationally developed planning phase, and its locally outstanding buildings, which gained significance by becoming a symbol of both technological and social progress in Riga.