Draugiem Group Art Space
In the Latvian city of Cesis, the first phase of renovation in the Konrad Quarter has been completed. The event space of the new “Draugu nams” building will host educational and cultural events, while the art gallery will open with an exhibition of works by artist Ritums Ivanovs who was born in Cesis but now lives and works in Riga.
Draugiem Group’s company “Mājas Cēsīs” has completed the first phase of renovation work in the emerging Konrad Quarter, unveiling the renovated design hotel “Mācītāja māja.” Completion of the entire quarter is scheduled for 2026, creating a new cultural and artistic space right in the heart of Cēsis’s Old Town.
The Quarter consists of an ensemble of four buildings. The new “Draugu nams” building will feature spaces for work, cultural events, and an art gallery set against an exposed medieval wall. The upper floor of the building will house two exclusive apartments for short-term rental. Meanwhile, “Mācītāja māja” and “Ratu māja,” located in its courtyard, will feature fully equipped designer hotel apartments that combine modern technology with centuries-old wooden architecture, creating a living work of architectural art.
The first floor of the Konrad House will feature a café and a self-service store, while the upper floors will house long-term rental apartments with unique views of St. John’s Church and the Cēsis Castle Garden. All rental apartments, suites, public spaces, and the café in the Konrad Quarter are family- and pet-friendly.
“Our goal is to set a new standard for hospitality in Latvia, to take care of every guest the way we would like to be cared for ourselves, whether we’re traveling or at home. Everyone will be able to see for themselves that the renovation and construction. Everyone will be able to see for themselves that the restoration and construction work is being carried out with deep respect for the environment and cultural heritage, preserving the neighborhood’s unique characteristics—the Old Town’s unevenness, crookedness, and irregularities. All buildings feature the latest accessibility and climate control technologies, which are successfully integrated with historical details on both the facades and in the interiors. “The Konrad Quarter will be yet another reason why Cēsis is so appealing,” says Andis Malahovskis, head of “Mājas Cēsīs,” a company within the Draugiem Group.
A new café is goint to be opened too, its menu curated by Chef Mārtiņš Kristons, who has been ensuring the well-being of the Draugiem Group team for 20 years. The event space in the new “Draugu nams” building will host educational and cultural events, while the art gallery will open with an exhibition of works by Cēsis artist Ritums Ivanovs.
The architect of the Konrāds Quarter is Pēteris Bajārs (OUTOFBOX Architecture), while the restoration of the wooden buildings was led by Pēteris Blūms, an expert in historic house restoration.
“Mājas Cēsīs” is a Draugiem Group company whose mission is to make the city more attractive to residents and visitors alike. To date, “Spīdalas nams” in Cēsis Old Town and “Žagaru māja” in the Gauja River Valley have been restored; drinking water fountains have been installed in public spaces; the “slīpo koku” square #CēsisPievelk, and collaboration has begun with the Vidzeme Technology and Design Technical School and the “Cēsis” Concert Hall. The company plans to continue renovating historic buildings in Cēsis’s Old Town.
Source: DB
Photo: Alvis Rozenbergs