Aia 4 Apartment Building

Aia St. is part of Tallinn’s bastion belt and has also been the location of 19th Century wooden workshops, which are today barely detectable within the urban fabric. It is in this transitional area on the verge of the Old Town that architects designed one of the most controversial buildings in central Tallinn.

Sharp angles, dark surfaces and spacious apartments define the character of this building. Located close to the Mediaeval Old Town, its contemporary and daring architecture has been a subject of public debate. Despite its provocative contemporary exterior, the building’s general character is welcoming. Architects have created urban density and spatial quality in an area which desperately needed it.

On its western face, the area of the building is concealed behind historic buildings; on the southern side, the building’s highly articulated, boldly angular forms open towards the courtyard and the street. Black slate cladding and light wooden decks add to the overall drama.

The main idea of the project was to find a shape for the contemporary comprehension of luxury, combining the city’s desirable downtown location with individualistic suburban qualities such as an abundance of space, privacy, outdoor living and terraces.

Majority of interior spaces are meant to be used as apartments, several of them with unique personalised floor plans and with magnificent views to neighbouring quarters. Some of the apartments on higher levels have spacious terraces. A garage was constructed under the building, leaving the street-front free for pedestrians and public access.