Accessibility Projects and Innovations

Audio descriptions

Project “The sound of Riga!” – 30 audio files describing Riga’s architectural monuments

How can a person with visual impairments explore the surrounding environment? Information becomes accessible to them through touch or hearing. But how can one perceive museum exhibits, monuments, or architectural objects that cannot be reached or touched? This is how the idea for the project “The sound of Riga!” was born.

A deeper impression and additional visual information can be gained at our SOCINTEGRA office, where it is possible to explore tactile models and relief images of architectural monuments.

01 The Latvian Academy of Sciences

02 The Large Guild

03 The Vanšu Bridge (a cable-stayed bridge)

04 The House of the Blackheads

05 Riga Dome Cathedral

06 The Railway Bridge

07 The Castle of Light

08 Latvian National Theatre

09 The Freedom Monument

10 View of Riga from St. Peter's Church

11 Swedbank Head Office Building

12 St. Peter's Church

13 The Riga Radio and TV Tower

14 Our Lady of Sorrows Church

15 St. Gertrude Old Church

16 St. Alexander Nevsky Church

17 Riga Cathedral

18 The Powder Tower

19 St. Gertrude New Church

20 Square at the Central Train Station

21 Holy Trinity Cathedral

22 The Stone Bridge

23 Albert Street

24 The Schwab House

25 The Three Brothers

26 The Bremen Town Musicians monument

27 The Great Choral Synagogue

28 The Latvian National Museum of Art

29 The Latvian National Opera and Ballet

30 The Art Academy of Latvia

SOCINTEGRA, in cooperation with Ziedot.lv and Latvenergo has implemented a unique project “Sound of Riga” (“Ieskaņo Rīgu!").

The main idea was to combine and continue earlier initiatives:

“Touch” — an exhibition of tactile objects for people with visual impairments;
“Recording Riga” — 30 audio recordings describing Riga’s architectural landmarks;
practical workshops with blind participants.

Within the project, 30 audio installations with 3D sound were created, linked to architectural sites. These included authentic city sounds — street noise, creaking doors, birdsong, rain, and wind. All of this enriched the visual image with soundscapes and made it accessible to people with visual impairments.