Photo by Evelin Lumi
On Wednesday, June 18, a shelter ÕRRED (Perches) built by EKA architecture students was opened by the pond near the Hansa and Descartes schools in Annelinn, Tartu. The aim of the work is to offer city dwellers a break from everyday worries and the problems of overcrowded city life.
As part of the project, which has become an annual tradition, first-year architecture students built their own shelter in Annelinn for the second year in a row. The idea for this year’s shelter came from architecture student Astrid Lepist, who realized that it is not possible to notice the changes in nature so well in everyday urban spaces.
“Since I come from the countryside, I had some problems adjusting to Tallinn. People used to live their lives more according to nature, observing small signs of the arrival of spring or autumn, for example. Since city dwellers often fail to notice changes in nature, the seasons have taken on a different meaning for them. The shelter is like a stopping place for passers-by to take a moment to slow down and notice the beautiful details of nature,” said Lepist, adding that the shelter’s design also features references to Estonian farm architecture. The wood needed to build the shelter was collected from a recently demolished wooden house in Tartu’s Old Town.
According to the author, the ten-day construction period turned out to be a fun and cohesive experience. According to Helena Männa, one of the course project instructors, personal construction experience gives young people the necessary perspective on their future profession. “This is the first work of their careers that they will realize by building it together. What they experience on the construction site is important to understand how each line on paper affects the final result in the urban space,” Männa described.
The shelter that has been erected in the schoolyard is intended for use by both students and community residents. This year’s object “Òrred” is already the 20th shelter and the fifth to be erected in Tartu. Previously, students have created the shelters “Kino”, “Nurk”, “Linnutee” and “Ava” in Tartu.
Similar to last year’s shelter, the construction will be carried out on the principles of material circulation, as part of the large housing renovation project Life IP BuildEST, which is being carried out together with Taltech.
All of the first year students of the Estonian Academy of Arts, Architecture and Urban Design curricula participated in the construction of the project “Òrred”: Astrid Lepist, Joonas Karl Kuusik, Aiko Hayashi, Liisa Marii Mathisen, August Elmar Maaste, Minna Pärdi, Earle Nartey, Katariina Kangro, Holger Rosenroth, Carmen Kaalo, Rasmus Paul Simmermann, Riina Lii Parve, Sergei Markov, Kennart Sander Rahuoja, Mari Tämm, Ingel Laur, Anastasiia Pershko, Nikita Oleinik, Johanna Järg, Juliana Petrova, Emma Talumaa.
The course project was supervised by the doctoral students of the Estonian Academy of Arts and Sciences and the curators of the Estonian Pavilion at this year’s Venice Biennale, Elina Liiva and Helena Männa, and Margus Tammik. The working drawings of the shelter were prepared in collaboration between the EKA and TalTech students, who were co-supervised by Simo Ilomets, Andre Mägi, and Eero Tuhkanen.
In addition to EKA, the completion of the shelter was supported by the City of Tartu, the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, Life IP BuildEST, KIK, the Estonian Forest and Wood Industry Association, Carrotscrew, Cuut, Silman, Tartu Construction Materials Recycling Bank, Raitwood, ITK Lighting.
