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Originality and creativity of the idea

The Street Typology Manual is the first publication of its kind in Riga, offering guidelines for shaping the urban environment. It has been purposefully designed to be visually accessible and practically useful in everyday work, rather than a binding regulatory document, as its authors aim to humanize not only street space but also the practice of street planning and design. Moreover, the manual is intended as a “living” document — regularly reviewed and updated to reflect insights gained through implementation, changes in legislation, and technological innovation. The manual’s innovative content lies in its proposed shift in perspective, giving equal importance to both traffic flow and public space, and reordering the hierarchy of road users. This approach yields substantial benefits: more diverse mobility options, greater safety for all users, higher environmental quality, stronger local entrepreneurship, enhanced sense of place, a healthier society, and overall improved well-being for residents.

Definition of the problem and the relevance of the applied solutions

In Latvia and Riga, street design is still primarily based on the needs of motor vehicle traffic and the physical parameters of vehicles. However, the capital’s sustainable development strategy, other long-term planning documents, and international best practices dictate that pedestrians and cyclists should be placed at the top of the transport hierarchy. Various studies and thematic planning documents have noted the need for a new and clear street hierarchy in Riga. The Street Typology Manual proposes a balanced approach to street design, with decisions made by assessing two main parameters: traffic intensity and urban activity. Traffic intensity depends on the street’s role in the city’s transport system and its capacity, while urban activity is influenced by the functionality and typology of the built environment and the pedestrian flow it attracts. Based on these two factors, a typology of Riga’s streets has been developed — classifying streets into different types.

Co-creation, stakeholder involvement and cooperation during the realisation process

The Riga Street Typology Manual was developed through collaboration among urban planners, architects, landscape architects, and road engineers; the City Development Department, responsible for planning documentation; and the Public Space and Mobility Department, which implements street and public space projects. Civic organizations, such as “City for People” and “Safe Streets”, also contributed to its creation.

Functionality and technological solutions

The manual is structured into five chapters:
Chapter A presents overarching principles that describe the desired quality of the urban environment in Riga and highlight the role of streets in achieving it.
Chapter B outlines the space requirements for different street users and specifies the minimum and optimal dimensions for elements of the street space.
Chapter C defines street types in Riga, categorized by traffic intensity and level of urban activity. These types are organized into a street matrix that forms the foundation of the manual’s structure. For each street type, multiple cross-section design examples are provided, indicating recommended placement and dimensions of each element.
Chapter D offers recommendations on paving materials for different parts of the city.
Chapter E compiles useful information sources for street design.
The manual is available as a downloadable PDF and, in limited quantities, as a printed booklet.

Aesthetics and other experiential dimensions

Unlike Latvian national standards, Riga’s territorial planning regulations, and other legal documents, this manual emphasizes visual content that clearly illustrates the described solutions. The images are created in a style accessible to all users, aiming to raise awareness of street design issues not only among professionals but also within the broader public. Special attention is given to the consistent inclusion of “green” elements in the illustrations. Acknowledging the challenges posed by underground infrastructure in Riga, the authors have nevertheless chosen to depict trees, shrubs, and ground cover in all street profiles — encouraging more sustainable urban practices as a design norm, not an exception.

Economic significance, sustainability and circularity

One of the manual’s goals is to stimulate economic activity within street spaces, reflected in how urban activity levels are determined and linked to appropriate street design. The development of shopping streets, for example, can be supported by creating high-quality public spaces that are pleasant for pedestrians. Sustainability and circularity aspects are addressed through microclimate considerations and material choices. The negative effects of motorized vehicles can be mitigated by planting trees and shrubs, using lighter and more permeable surfaces, and supporting environmentally friendly transport. Streets also serve as green corridors between city parks, enabling movement not only for people but also for other living organisms.

Social relevance, inclusion, availability and accessibility

Streets are among the largest and most important public spaces in a city. For everyone, it is vital to see and interact with others — and the most natural setting for that is the street. Streets in the city center and neighborhood hubs play an especially important social role, as they attract the highest pedestrian flows and host services, shopping, entertainment, and culture. The creation of high-quality public space in streets is one of the manual’s key principles and includes accessibility solutions. People with disabilities are consistently represented among street users in the illustrations, promoting consideration of their physical parameters and mobility needs in the planning and reconstruction of streets. A follow-up edition of the manual is currently in development — it will provide detailed accessibility solutions for street surfaces.

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