Saliena ParkLife Apartments

The world is changing rapidly, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, the inhabitants of big cities have increased their requirements for housing quality: along with comfort, environmental friendliness and access to nature have come to the forefront.

The unique Greenfield project Saliena, situated between Riga and Jurmala and constantly developing, perfectly addresses these needs. The residential area, conveniently located between the active city and the coast, includes new comfortable housing, three international secondary schools, a golf course, and an ice hall, as well as walking areas. Families focused on the development of their children have a lot to choose from. Saliena is home to King’s College, The British School of Latvia, Exupery International School The International School of Latvia, Jurmala Golf Club & Hotel, and Via Jurmala Outlet Village. 

In Saliena, people can live in comfortable apartments, enjoy developed urban infrastructure, and a quality environment while feeling close to nature. Residents have their own terrace in a new house and a nearby park, without the worry of maintaining a private house.  

With more than €300 million already invested in Saliena, an additional €30 million will be invested in the ParkLife Apartments project. This project includes nine apartment buildings set in a 30,000 m² park. The first building has already been commissioned, and the entire complex, which will have a total of 189 apartments, is expected to be completed by 2027.

The Territory

The total area of ParkLife Apartments is more than 5 hectares (50,000 m²), and the park area is 3 ha (30,000 m²). The architects used a new approach to organising space: access roads and parking lots do not occupy the inner territory: the entire space of the quarter is devoted to green and walking areas and is completely free of automobile traffic. 

Car use is also convenient: surface parking spaces for residents and guests are provided next to the houses along the outer perimeter of the park. The project provides at least one parking space per apartment, and in general, there are 30% more parking lots than apartments, making it possible to buy a second one if necessary. There are also parking spaces for guests and the possibility to install a charging station for electric cars, with all necessary communications laid during the construction phase.

The park will have two playgrounds for children, walking paths, rollerblading and bicycling tracks, several covered parking lots for bicycles, a workout spot, street furniture, and lighting, creating conditions for active and relaxing leisure. Additionally, 1,500 plants are planned to be planted on the territory,  including mature trees: chestnuts, maples, jasmines, lilacs, acacias, pines, and hydrangeas. 

LED lighting has been used throughout Saliena for many years: high-base lanterns and low-ground fixtures. The light levels in Saliena ParkLife will not change at night, so residents can feel comfortable at different times of the day. 

The area of ParkLife Apartments is enclosed by a landscaped elevation with greenery and a discreet metre fence in certain areas. Entrance to the park is through gates: only Saliena residents have access to the park via electronic cards. It is a space for the formation of a local community.  

Outside ParkLife Apartments, in the Saliena common area, is another large 11-hectare woodland park with a dog park, a garden park with a playground, a BBQ park, and a sports park with a basketball court, football field, and outdoor exercise equipment. 

Layouts and Amenities 

The residential quarter consists of nine 3-storey buildings. Their total area is 14,000 m². The area of each building is 1,550 m². All the houses are built according to the same design but are oriented differently to maximise light while maintaining privacy.

Each building has two entrances with 3 and 4 apartments per floor: a total of 21 apartments in the building. All apartments are oriented on two sides and have from two to four rooms, ranging from 49 m² to 105 m² depending on the type of apartment: Classic with one bedroom and Family M/L/XL with two or three bedrooms respectively.  All apartments will be delivered with full interior finishes in neutral tones.

There are double walls at the borders of the different apartments, with adjacent apartments connected through service or sanitary rooms to increase sound insulation. 

The apartments with 3 and 4 rooms have storage rooms. All residents of the building can use the halls for storing prams, and bicycles and other means of micro-mobility can be stored in covered parking lots.    

Each apartment has a balcony or terrace oriented towards the park. Ground-floor residents will be able to access it through their own terraces.   

Saliena has a common design code: the rules of development ensure orderly modern architecture, with each block having its own style. The houses in ParkLife Apartments are elegant buildings with large windows and two-tone grey facades. 

Сonstruction Process

Construction of the first building began in the summer of 2023, with the first residents already moving in. The second building is under construction and will be completed by 2025. Together with these houses, the park will be finished. The team is landscaping it, forming terrain with hills, and planting trees and shrubs. Full completion of Saliena ParkLife with nine houses and a park is planned for 2027. 

The houses will be built sequentially around a central park area. Each house consists of 60 modules,. manufactured in a factory to ensure the highest quality of construction, and then assembled on-site within two to three weeks. 

Modular construction technology allows buildings to be erected quickly, minimising the need for many workers and transport at the construction site. Modules, fully ready for use, are manufactured at the factory (assembled, painted, and finished inside), while only their assembly, and the installation of staircases and balconies, is carried out on-site. This significantly reduces on-site construction time, noise levels, and disturbance to neighbours.

Energy Efficiency 

All houses meet the A class of energy efficiency, which guarantees minimal heat loss. The energy-saving modules that make up the buildings consist of wood panels filled with stone wool, ensuring excellent heat retention.

Using selected wood, the apartments have an optimal internal microclimate. The use of Latvian timber in construction reduces transportation costs and CO₂ emissions during construction, supporting the local economy and reducing the carbon footprint that the Saliena team cares about.

The high level of energy efficiency of the buildings reduces heating and air-conditioning costs and allows owners to obtain improved mortgage interest rates. The average monthly heating costs for a two-bedroom apartment in Saliena are approximately €30–40.

Infrastructure

ParkLife Apartments is seamlessly integrated into the established Saliena environment, connected to city utilities. Sewer, water, electricity, gas, and high-speed optical internet are available as in any city homes. Each ParkLife building has its own gas-fired boiler room on the roof, allowing individual switching and regulation of heating levels in the building and in the apartments. Each apartment is equipped with a ventilation system with recuperation: fresh air is directed to the living rooms, and the exhaust air is extracted from the bathrooms. Internet access is provided via fiber optics with speeds of up to 10 Gbps.

Saliena has also created conditions for sorting waste. There are three types of containers: for household waste, paper, plastic and metal, and for glass. This system is not only environmentally friendly but also cost-effective: recycling companies take away the sorted waste free of charge. Saliena is one of the few places in Riga and its suburbs where a modern waste collection system is used: the containers are installed underground. Of the 5 m³ total volume, only the top 1 m³ is visible, and the remaining 4 m³ are hidden underground. One such underground container replaces five conventional ones but does not spoil the appearance of the territory. 

Saliena to Riga or Jurmala can be reached by car or public transportation. By car, it takes 5–10 minutes to get to the beaches of Jurmala, about 10 minutes to Riga airport, and 15–20 minutes to the city centre. Additionally, The Babite railway station is a 5-minute drive, allowing for Park & Ride approach to travel to Riga or Jurmala.   

Pinki, where Saliena is located, is connected to the centre of Riga by two shuttle buses with stops near Saliena. 

Riga and Jurmala can also be reached by bicycle: there is a large Riga–Jurmala cycle route, which Saliena plans to join. The Saliena area already has bike and rollerblade paths, and the walking ring inside Saliena ParkLife is part of it.  

Prices

It was important for the team to design the most comfortable yet rational layouts to maintain affordability as a competitive advantage. The price per square meter in Saliena ParkLife Apartments ranges from €2150 to €2650. The cost of one parking space is €6000.

Project Team 

The design and implementation of ParkLife Apartments is the responsibility of Saliena’s team, which has 20 years of experience in developing, constructing, and managing apartment complexes. Saliena’s constant attention to innovation and detail helps create quality spaces that are thoughtfully designed down to the smallest detail.

Saliena engages talented international and Latvian specialists and implements the best international practices and approaches. Cooperation with experienced architects, as well as interior and landscape designers, enriches the project with new ideas and provides opportunities for creative problem-solving.