Estonia

The city of Tartu has the goal of implementing high-quality modern architecture in new public buildings. The new kindergarten, which is located in one of the most dilapidated areas of Tartu (the so-callled Chinatown is a former Soviet military garrison), is a result of this policy. The kindergarten´s layout – a six-cornered, star-shaped floor plan forced into a square – arose from the desire to avoid long corridors and to create an orderly outer perimeter and street space for the building. Building is situated on one edge of the plot and leaves the southern side free as a play area. External appearance of the low street-sided building has an inwardly character. Concrete side walls with small coloured glass openings and a bamboo fence... More

The Museum of Occupations was the first custom-built museum in newly independent Estonia, the design being chosen at a competition with 50 submissions. The aim of the institution was to provide adequate information on occupations of the recent past, build a memorial to the deceased and enable organizing of small-scale seminars. The museum is located in the belt of bastions surrounding the Old Town. The building is pretty small-scale, structured as an uninterrupted movement through different interior spaces. The museum, the city and the park are integrated into a continuous yet changing experience, suitable for the institution‘s goal of being contemporary and constantly in flux. A small front yard (memorial) with birches serves as an... More

New university built into destroyed old town area records both the absence of the Old Town and it’s rebuilding. Context Narva is a border city between Russia and Estonia. Prosperity of the city was in 17th century, when under the Swedish reign new baroque-style city center was developed. The Old Town was destroyed during WWII and after when it was demolished and replaced with modernist city. After the war local people were not allowed to return to the city, new habitants were brought in from Soviet Union. Site The college is built on the area of Narva’s no longer existent Old Town with the main façade opening towards the Town Hall Square. In front of the building is a square, marking the site of the former stock exchange building... More

The building defining a friendly co-existence between small scale private housing and large healthcare institutions in the park. The new collage building is located in between two dormitories to maintain the buffer zone between private houses and large buildings. The design solution is based on the need for sufficient natural light in all dormitories and classrooms. Each floor steps back, creating interesting interior spaces and communication with the existing dormitory. The latter side has open character with large glass surfaces whereas the more confined outward side has a red brick cladding similar to the existing dormitories. The college building tries to step into the context as an unexpected yet interesting partner. The new an... More