VEFRESH promotes sustainable infrastructure development and helps to create VEF district as a place where technology improves the residents’ quality of life.
Throughout smart city solution testing and deployment, the priority in the district remains people-friendly and sustainable infrastructure development. Additionally, VEFRESH aims to promote data based mobility solution development to improve the district’s accessibility.
Urban passage in the area of VEF ↓
VEF mobility point
Riga Energy Agency and Ie.La inženieri together with VEFRESH has developed the first prototype of mobility point in Latvia which was opened for public use in July 2020.
Mobility point connects different transportation modes and offers easy access to micro mobility. Its main function is to provide options for continuing the planned journey in a sustainable and smart way, without the use of a private car.
The mobility point in VEF district will have safe bike parking options, bike repair station, electrical scooter rental point as well as free WiFi and a phone charging facilities.
Mobility point will also have the first testing station with electricity supply for IoT and machine vision solutions accessible for businesses and students. Data collected in the testing station will be open and available to any interested parties.
Additionally, on the other side of Brīvības street there will be a cyclist and pedestrian counter with a display informing all passers-by about the daily and yearly number of cyclists and pedestrians on the street.
Urban passage in the area of VEF
To improve the quality of the area near to the VEF Culture Palace we have created a modern solution for green public space. It reduces the presence of the cars, raises safety standards for residents, as well as creates a multifunctional environment for the all needs of various residents of the neighborhood. Although we did not get the necessary support in the budgeting projects by the city of Riga, we are motivated to work with this project and look for ways to implement it differently.
The aim of the urban passage is to make a space in the city where neighborhood guests can enjoy their time, residents can socialize and relax during the day. It also will be a safe and inclusive urban area for children.
The added value for the project is improvement of pedestrian safety. We want to create space where best European city examples are adapted and the main focus is to people comfort, well-being and safety. We want to create a green oasis in the city area where people want to spend their time.
Mobility management hackathon
In February 2020 VEFRESH together with Riga Energy Agency, LMT and Jaunā Teika organized Mobility management and design hackathon to promote sustainable and climate neutral mobility in VEF district.
The hackathon was organized to develop a joint vision about the transformation of the passageway between VEF Culture palace, LMT and Jauna Teika, from a parking lot to a people-friendly solution. The main task in the hackathon was to identify solutions how to align interests between pedestrians, car drivers, cyclists and people with reduced mobility. Additionally, there were discussions about raising resident awareness about sustainable modes of transportation and mobility options in the district.
On the basis of the solutions discussed during the hackathon, an infrastructure development proposal has been submitted to City of Riga participatory budget contest.
Marss park in Teika
In December 2019 a public initiative was launched to stop felling a large number of trees in the former cycling track Marss territory.
Initiative was created to stop the planned felling of more than 40 trees in the former cycling track Marss territory that roots back almost 100 years. Instead of the envisioned new office building, VEFRESH with other community organizations suggested to transform the closed-off territory to a public park.
Together with Teika neighbourhood association, Pilsēta Cilvēkiem and Riga neighbourhood alliance more than 15 000 physical and digital signatures of residents were collected and submitted to Latvian parliament.
Design studio Overpriced also developed the historical Marss cycling track typeface.