Come and SEE / Getlini EKO Waste Management Education Centre
Riga, Latvia
competition entry, 2nd prize, 2026
size: ~2000 m²
architecture: NOONSOON, Toms Kampars
exhibition design: Studio SIJA, Overpriced
landscape: Nemoralis
visuals: Toms Kampars, Studio SIJA
What really happens after we throw something away? This proposal for the Getliņi EKO Education Centre invites people to come and see for themselves. It reveals the hidden life of waste: where it goes, how it changes and how it can become energy, material or something useful again. The landfill is presented not only as an ending, but also as a place where new beginnings are possible.
The building becomes a bright and welcoming landmark in the industrial landscape of Getliņi. Its interactive facade speaks to visitors, while the journey inside unfolds around the circular Getliņi landfill mountain installation. Workshops, exhibitions and gathering spaces gradually lead upwards to panoramic views of the landfill and greenhouses. Visible timber structures and reused materials turn the building itself into an example of how we can build differently.
The exhibition uses the circle as a playful symbol of circularity and transformation. Visitors can touch, sort, smell, climb, experiment and play their way through the story of waste. They can enter a model landfill mountain, discover its hidden layers, follow the journey from methane to energy and explore materials made from discarded things. Humour and bold, oversized objects make the experience engaging, understandable and memorable.
