How to create a new municipal center that shapes identity and weaves the surrounding area into a cohesive public realm?
The design transforms a dispersed and fragmented area into a unified center with a strong sense of identity. Along Aruküla Road, a central square with a flag plaza and recreational areas establishes a prominent axis of public space, anchored by the future municipal building.
The building fabric is conceived as a diverse and vibrant ensemble, where fragments of public space interlace with buildings of varying character. The result is an active and distinctive environment in which all sides matter, and where different functions and qualities alternate fluidly.
The main entrance of the municipal building opens onto a diagonal axis of activity that links the central square, the flag plaza, and a pedestrian corridor dissolving into greenery. The covered entrance canopy forms a sheltered yet open space, which can also host community gatherings and markets.
The interior is organized around a vertical “spine” – a spacious vestibule that connects the floors and creates bright sightlines through the building. From the second and third floors, access is provided to roof terraces, offering new opportunities for both work and leisure.
The proposal embraces greenery and biodiversity: recreational areas, playgrounds, pedestrian routes, and varied landscaped zones are planned. Sustainability is central to both material use and architectural resolution – an energy-efficient form and orientation, a roof with photovoltaic panels, glued laminated and cross-laminated timber structures, and recyclable steel.
