The culture centre "Siguldas devons" was opened on September 14, 2018, after an extensive reconstruction. The building is named after a period that wrote a magic code in the Gauja river sandstone layers forever when waters covered the Sigulda neighborhood.
“Siguldas devons” facade design uses decorative panels that feature a sandstone outcrop pattern from the Velnalas Rocks, where most Devonian fish and flora fossils have been preserved. Features of the Devon period have also given names to the halls of the cultural centre: “Radix” (large hall, in Latin – root), “Silva” (small hall, in Latin – forest) and “Digiti” (cinema hall, in Latin – fingers). The names of the halls remind us of the Devonian era, which has had a significant impact on the evolution of the world.
“Devon is the age of luck. It is a mighty period when the earth was bursting out of the sea and more and more lives were emerging. Devon is changing the world and urging to change. Restoring the cultural centre and giving it a future breath, we are witnessing how yesterday turns into tomorrow. Occasionally, after the rain at the Gauja river, we can find washed ashore fossils of the placoderms and feel the breath of the distant Devon in our hand. If during the Devonian era the plants got their roots, the soil got its forests and fish grew bones, I believe that “Siguldas devons” will be a worthy investment in Sigulda ever-changing cultural life. Just as small sand and clay particles have become pink and golden sandstone rocks, I wish everyone in this building to grow stronger in spirit and performance so that each day in the Devon is a leap,” said Uģis Mitrevics, Chairman of Sigulda County Council.
The building of the Cultural Centre was built in 1962. After extensive reconstruction, the premises have become more spacious, modern and multifunctional, equipped with the latest technologies. The reconstructed building has excellent acoustics with little reverberation time, so the centre halls are perfect for concerts with sound equipment. Here you will be able to make high-quality audio recordings and even live shows from cultural events. The most renowned Latvian sound experts Andris Ūze and Krišjānis Geidāns point out that the “Meyer Sound” is one of the most popular brands of sound systems in the world, which is used by many world-renowned artists and rock bands. The latest modification of the sound system is installed in “Siguldas devons”. Its main advantage is that the enhanced sound is brought closer to the natural sound, and the system is easy to understand and control. Older versions of this sound system have been installed elsewhere in Latvia.
All the halls are equipped with high-resolution video projectors, but the “Radix” hall is specially adapted for events that require sophisticated decorations – the stage is in-depth, equipped with lifting constructions and professional stage lights. “Digiti” hall is also equipped with qualitative technological solutions, where smaller concerts, performances or cinema will take place. In terms of energy efficiency, the building is equipped with a building management system that automatically regulates and manages ventilation, heating, lighting, and conditioning equipment. By using this system, it is possible to regulate the most important energy consumers – the cold station, the heating unit, the ventilation equipment – as it is necessary, significantly increasing the energy efficiency level of the building.