Rotermann Urban Houses

Architects

Villem Tomiste
AB Kosmos
Mihkel Tüür
Ott Kadarik

Invited competition

2004, 1st prize

Location

Rotermann Quarter, Tallinn, Estonia

Size

18 000m2

Status

Completed in 2007

Client

OÜ Rotermann City

Photos

Ott Kadarik

Typology

Awarded Projects, Commercial Projects, Residential

Tags

Residential, Apartment, Competition, Office, Tallinn

The Rotermann Quarter is a former industrial area in central Tallinn which has seen redevelopment since 2006. Now a hub of business, commerce and contemporary urban lifestyle, the quarter still exudes a timeless presence of Tarkovsky’s “Stalker” which was filmed in the near-by premises in the 1970s. The developer of the quarter valued both the historical context and sensitive new architecture.

This complex of four interconnected buildings was the first to be built in the Rotermann Quarter, and its concern for distinctiveness, strong character and a specific interpretation of historic architecture has set the tone for the entire area. Their design creatively reflects the past and interprets the industrial legacy while providing a stage for vibrant and lively urban life. The buildings also try to define urban and dense living in the context of mostly heterogeneous, fragmentary and sparse Tallinn. Each of the four buildings has an individuality of its own, yet in unison they form a clearly coherent whole due to their overall layout and characteristic outdoor spaces with distinctly paved, inclined walkways.

Special attention has been paid to detailing. Custom made facade bricks were developed for the black and orange building, while the white and brown one stands out with their expressive volumes. The apartments in the buildings are of different sizes, while interior solutions as well as auxiliary spaces provide comfort for inhabitants with various needs.