Design and photo by Alexey Murashko

Alexey Murashko has received a Silver medal at the prestigious European Design Award in the category Book Layout with the publication The Homecoming. Roche in Riga: a Historic Remediation about a recently renovated functionalist building in Riga.

Stories Editorial July 19, 2021

The book The Homecoming is dedicated to the recently refurbished functionalism building in Riga, designed by Aleksandrs Klinklāvs at the corner of Miera and Palīdzības Street. The compelling story about the building’s history from the 1930s to the present day is told by compiling historical and contemporary photos, drawings, maps, documents, and historical tangents. The design of the book unites the rich material by deriving a grid from the façade tiles. It announces itself on the front cover, as well as serves as a framework for every page.

European Design Award is one of the most prestigious distinctions not only in Europe, but also the whole world. Latvia is represented in it only for the second time — in 2020 the Gold award was given to the bilingual book Valdis Āboliņš. The avant-garde, mailart, the New Left and cultural relations during the Cold War, which was also designed by Alexey Murashko. The 664 pages of the voluminous publication are held together by a tome with cut edges and is dedicated to the exiled Latvian artist and curator Valdis Āboliņš. Referring to the theme of mailart, the thick cardboard cover of the book is shaped as an envelope triangle, while under it a facsimile of one of four Āboliņš’ letters is placed in each copy of the book.

A couple of copies of The Homecoming. Roche in Riga: a Historic Remediation can be found in the bookshop Mr. Page. A limited edition in Latvian is being printed right now. The book Valdis Āboliņš. The avant-garde, mailart, the New Left and cultural relations during the Cold War can be purchased at the online shop of Latvian Centre for Contemporary Art.