City hall
2009 / III prize/ 35 029m2* (net)
Authors: Markus Kaasik, Andres Ojari, Ilmar Valdur, Raul Kalvo, Juhan Rohtla, Tanel Tatsi, Pirko Võmma
KODA is a vision for Tallinn’s new City Hall that sees the building as far more than an administrative office. It is conceived as a public institution with the capacity to shape urban life and communicate civic values to the city and its community. Located between Linnahall, Kultuurikatel and the seaside promenade, the project reconnects previously fragmented links between the waterfront, the Old Town, the port area and the city’s emerging northern districts.
At the heart of the proposal is the creation of a clearly defined urban plaza between the City Hall, Kultuurikatel and Linnahall — a public space that functions both as an everyday civic square and as a venue for larger public events. The project rethinks the existing “paved desert” between the sea and the Old Town as a more coherent system of green space, tram connections, city streets and plazas, restoring continuity, identity and pedestrian accessibility to the area.
Architecturally, the building is based on an enlarged house archetype, which is then deconstructed to generate a multidirectional and open public realm. The four-branched volume addresses the Old Town, the sea, the square in front of Linnahall and the future urban axis developing in the area. Public and semi-public halls are located at the ends of the four wings, while entrances from all sides lead into a central atrium. This transparent and continuous spatial organisation makes the building highly accessible, while the upper office floors remain flexible and adaptable to changing needs and departmental structures.
