Viljandi Festival Arena
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Architect
Project team
Ott Kadarik, Mihkel Tüür, Tanel Trepp
Engineering
Printsiip OÜ
Location
Talli 2, 71011 Viljandi
Size
2,000 m2
Status
Completed, 2013
Client
City of Viljandi
Photos
Paco Ulman
Typology
Culture, Landscape and Urban Planning, Public
Tags
Viljandi is a small town in Southern Estonia where architectural heritage stands side by side with contemporary architecture. Not far from the ruins of the 13th century castle lie the festival grounds for which KTA designed a contemporary open-air arena. With its simple forms, bright surfaces and delicate positioning in the hilly landscape the main stage of the arena creates an uplifting atmosphere for various open-air events and urban festivals.
Festival arena design is derived from the aspirations of acoustically pure sound. Horizontal girders bridge the wide opening of the stage structure while interior surfaces of the stage have been covered with acoustic wood paneling which helps enhance the sound quality necessary for both concerts and theatre performances. The roof and exterior walls of the stage are covered with bright sheet metal and create a frisky dialogue with warmer wooden surfaces. A minimalist and dignified example of contemporary architecture, the festival stage undoubtedly enriches Viljandi’s colorful townscape.
The main stage can accommodate up to 1000 singers and there is room for several thousand spectators. The area in front of the stage can be used for dance performances with several hundred participants. Next to the festival ground is an auxiliary building that houses toilets and changing rooms for the performers.
