Architecture studio SAALS is a Latvian architect office. Every Project is created by gaining the knowledge about location, environment, history, people and structuring that in a certain relations and proportions, and adding the soul.
The World culture heritage is linked with some sense of heaviness, thick books and deep knowledge. Narrowing the world culture heritage down to the personal experience of an architect some examples of how the world architecture heritage can have an impact on the architecture created by SAALS can be mentioned. Especially influential for architect Rasa Kalniņa, SAALS are three phenomenons – Egypt Pyramids, Architecture by Gaudi and Indian Vastu Shastra.
It is the unusual form development that inspired her to study the architecture. Gaudi was a live proof that it is possible also that way – differently! Sensitive, unusual, connected with nature and beyond the society limits – that is Gaudi architecture, although very unique, it is already a part of world culture heritage.
The Vedic knowledge has let Vastu Shastra to touch the fine structure of shape a little closer. To create the shape by understanding the prime elements composing the shape and the flows of energy those have an impact on the interaction between a person and the shape. To refine not just the shape and function, but also the harmony with natural forces, to form the soul of the building.
Senses, feeling, integration in the environment, uniformity – the soul of the building is one of the important architectural aspects for Studio SAALS. Another aspect of the same importance for the architectural Studio is the design, sculpturalism. The works by Mies van de Rohe has a great impact on Maris Krūmiņš, SAALS architectural insight with their simple, elegant language of shapes, details and proportions.
In the best case architecture is formed from one material as a large scale sculpture.
All the stages are equally important- how the Project is developed, how the building is erected, how does it functions and how it grows old. These days – even how the building looks like in Google Earth. All projects by SAALS are brought together by synergy of the soul and beauty in the architecture, clean and organised shape.
