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

Refurbished, Office

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.