Viimsi Keevitus Office Building
Architects
Madis Eek
Eek & Mutso Architects
Co-authors
Kristi Põldme, Kristel Jaanus
Location
Kaluri tee 13, Haabneeme, Viimsi vald, Estonia
Size
1065m2
Status
Completed in 2010
Client
AS Viimsi Keevitus
Photos
Reio Avaste
Typology
Commercial Projects, Historical, Interior Architecture
Tags
Viimsi Keevitus is a company specialising in all sorts of pipe constructions, yet its name associates it directly with welding (keevitus = welding). The house for which the reconstruction project was made dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. Initially it was a barn with some adjacent dwellings (a so-called flock manor). The old building had a gabled roof and massive stone walls. Local government demanded that the restoration project would not exceed the original volume. However, since the building was not under heritage protection, the architects had more freedom at hand while designing the building.
Paraphrasing the well-known Soviet slogan, the new building is modern in content and national in form. The facade resembles the weaving-pattern of waistbands from folk clothing; the same motif is repeated in the interior and furniture design.
The Steel roof construction rests on a concrete slab that was laid on top of stone walls with a double-T shaped ground-plan. Building materials i.e. concrete flooring, steel constructions and wooden fibre boards cover a ceiling extending from the interior to the exterior.
The load-bearing structures as well as the office furniture are welded together from double-T steel beams, a 3D image of a rhombic waistband motif is applied on the glass doors and the initials of the company – VK – form a unique safety pattern design on the glass doors.
The speciality of the company is echoed in the furniture design: armchairs, sofa tables and flowerpots are made from drainage pipes, water pipes are used as wardrobe hangers and ventilation pipes as lamps.
To accompany the pseudo-historic concrete lions that adorn the side entrance, a stately modern portal, welded lions (author Kalle Pruuden) were commissioned by the company.