An Open and Accessible Art Archive for Tallinn
We recently collaborated with local firm Alver Architects to submit design proposals for a new art storage facility for the Tallinn City Museum that is fully accessible to the public. The transformative project is located at Kursi 5 in the heart of Tallinn’s developing cultural district, adjacent to the Cultural Factory and the infamous Tallinna Linnahal.
The aim of the architectural competition was to create a 12,000 m2 future home for three museums - the Tallinn City Museum, the Museum of Photography and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Estonia.
Our design condenses primary museum functions, such as the expansive open storage and archive collections, into a main utilitarian volume with a rooftop garden and ground floor café. Other functions, like performance spaces and distinct entry points for the partner institutions are distributed across the site as a series of smaller pavilions. This “field” of architectural elements is inspired by the industrial context, where singular marks like the high brick chimney and former coal bridges are complementary to the main factory building creating a street edge.
All elements are connected via a shared basement level that centralizes servicing for all three museums. On the street level, the field becomes a shared plaza where these elements erupt and articulate a lively public realm.
In essence, the project seeks to integrate the Cultural Factory and these institutions into a new and highly significant cultural cluster that serves as a modern destination for both residents and international visitors.
- Open Collections Building
- EE, Tallinn
- Client
- Tallinn City Property Department
- Programme
- 2160m2 Museum\
Site area: 0.59 ha\
Workscope: Concept Design\
Status: Delivered\
Team: Studio Woodroffe Papa\ Alver Architects
An Open and Accessible Art Archive for Tallinn
