While evaluating the built environment, predominant agreement on what aspects constitute an achievement or failure in architecture is changing in the course of time. The subject of the research is value set agreements in regional comprehension, followed by the generic tree of award in architecture and construction industries of Latvia. Recently, besides the original task of promoting quality, the judgment typology can be considered a significant evidence of what the contemporary questions, problems and challenges consist of in the regional architecture. Based on the method of analytic comparison, this research paper lists regional awards as established public forms of judgment, reflected in professional editions and mass media during the last two decades. By sorting them by responsible initiatives, aim formulations, establishment data, criterion and target audience, the paper focuses on the general examination of affiliation segments and quantitative and qualitative indicators in the awards assigned since 1990. Conclusions include the data on widespread generalizations in the terms of criteria, segmentation and fragmentation, reputation of subjectivity, commercialization and expansive development in awarding, and at the same time raise the lack of constructive criticism culture in Latvia.

Article in: English

Article published: 2015-05-06