Latvian developers rethink apartment courtyards as space for people, not just cars
In Latvian cities, especially Soviet-era neighborhoods, growing numbers of cars are squeezing green areas and recreation spaces out of residential courtyards. Real estate developers say new projects need to better balance parking with everyday use by residents.
Courtyards of multi-apartment buildings, particularly in Soviet-era residential districts, were originally designed at a time when far fewer households owned cars than today. While the courtyard area has stayed the same, the number of cars has grown steadily, pushing new parking spots into green zones, near playgrounds, and along access roads.
Space for cars or for people
When most of a courtyard's free area is taken up by vehicles, there is less room for greenery, benches, bicycle parking, or safe space to move around. When official parking spaces run out, cars are often left in areas not meant for parking, further shrinking the usable courtyard space. This creates a shared area where pedestrians, cyclists, seniors and children all move alongside drivers, while the building must also remain accessible to couriers and emergency vehicles.
Safety in a courtyard largely depends on how the space is planned. Assigning each apartment a specific parking spot reduces the need to circle around looking for a place to park, while separate pedestrian paths let residents reach play or recreation areas without crossing routes used by cars.
Changing needs of residents
Courtyards are increasingly seen as an extension of the home itself — a space residents use daily, whether walking a dog, spending time with children, or simply passing through. When cars make the courtyard harder to use, it only partly fulfills its purpose.
The profile of courtyard users has also broadened. Alongside families with children, young people, seniors and those with active lifestyles now spend time there too. As a result, newer residential projects are adding outdoor gym equipment, game tables, picnic spots and urban gardens alongside traditional playgrounds.
One example is the Riga project "Arena Garden Towers," whose inner courtyard is fully reserved for residents, with no car traffic and green recreation areas with pergolas. Industry representatives say a good courtyard isn't one without cars at all, but one where vehicles have a clearly defined place that doesn't limit residents' everyday use of shared space.
