Construction of new building for Kullo centre begins
On 12 February, we entered into a construction contract with the Tallinn Property Department for establishing a new complex for the Kullo Hobby School at Mustamäe tee 59 in Tallinn.
The contract covers the demolition of the old building and establishment of a new four-storey structure with approximately 12,000 m² of net area along with part of the design work and furnishings.
This is a very important building for the district of Kristiine, which besides providing a venue for avocational education will allow for greater community engagement in future. The now obsolete hobby school building built in the 1970s will be torn down by April. After that, a new contemporary complex will be built and outdoor areas for public use will be developed around the centre to provide diverse recreational opportunities for the community.
Estonia’s oldest avocational centre will continue operating in the new community complex, providing education to 2,400 students of different ages. The classrooms and workshops here will take up more than half of the new complex. The Kristiine youth centre and library will also move into the building. A long awaited 300-seat concert hall will also be added, providing possibilities to hold cultural and community events.
According to Tallinn Deputy Mayor Viljar Jaamu, the new building will help to unite the community: “It’s an open and inspiring environment, where creativity, avocational activity and community life will intertwine into a whole. Besides the classrooms in the educational centre, it will have a youth centre, library, café, and entrepreneurial village. The building will have several auditoriums and galleries that can host different events. That means that about 3000 people will be using the building every week, making it a lively hub whose influence can turn out to be even greater than we can currently predict.”
The chairman of the management board of Merko Ehitus Eesti, Jaan Mäe, said that an investment into children in the community is the best way to impact the future. “The new Kullo will be architecturally striking. For the builders, that means a structurally complicated project and in its essence, very interesting work. We’re very pleased to contribute to making it possible for hobby education and community life in this district to develop in new contemporary conditions.”
The contract for a comprehensive concept for the new building and the surrounding Löwenruh Park was awarded in 2021 following an architectural competition won by KUU OÜ and Nikita Atikin OÜ with an entry titled “Päike” (Sun). The architects are Koit Ojaliiv and Kristel Niisuke.
The design for the centre to be built came about based on suggestions and preferences from local residents. Besides the building, the outdoor areas are planned for public use and will be integrated in a streamlined manner with Löwenruh Park, which will make the area even more accessible and attractive.
