Merko opens Community Pantry at its Uus-Veerenni project

A unique community space at the Uus-Veerenni development gives residents an opportunity to engage in activities that need more space than their own apartment, fuse their creativity with that of their neighbours and make practical everyday purchases without leaving the property.

The spacious and functionally furnished space on the ground floor of one of the residential buildings in Uus-Veerenni can be accessed using their personal electronic home key. The Community Pantry, as it is called, is a good fit for everyday activities that require more space and resident hobbies. Befitting the name, it also has a self-service shop where everyday commodities can be purchased.

Uus-Veerenni development director Taavi Kotkas emphasizes that they wanted to create a pleasant sense of community and living environment in Merko’s residential projects. “In the course of brainstorming with the residents, we found that they needed gathering places within the complex where neighbours could do things together. Residents also have many practical needs and collaboration can create value added here – for instance, there could be a shared set of outdoor sports equipment for all residents and we found that a small shop might also be worth it and add key convenience to everyday life,” said Kotkas.

Today, Uus-Veerenni has a sports club OmaKlubi, and there’s also a place to fix bikes over coffee, called Rattatimm. A park within the complex makes for a good place, weather permitting, to sled, play ball games and have a picnic; a community garden lets residents grow flowers, herbs and berry bushes.

Now the new Community Pantry expands on these collective possibilities. The Community Pantry has a large worktop, a practical sink and a wide variety of tools, sports equipment and other materials for hobbies. The space is big enough to be a pleasant place to spend time and converse with neighbours. It also has a self-service shop where basic staples and light refreshments can be purchased.

The idea for the Pantry sprang from Merko’s collaboration with the interior design studio Kosmos. Interior designer Kristel Linnutaja says interior design marries the possibilities of architecture, service design and graphic design. “People need a user-centred space that is practical, comfortable, safe and has a human dimension. At Kosmos, we believe that an integral, functional and emotionally healthy space is a good place for everyone to live, work and play,” she expanded on ideas behind the cooperation.

The corner shop is R-Kiosk branded and operated by Reitan Convenience Estonia. CEO of Reitan Tiia Ilves underlined the inspiring cooperation between Merko, Kosmos and Uus-Veerenni locals. “The top priority for us was to create a modern and convenient solution that would meet the needs of the local community. Besides traditional shops, we also provide innovative solutions in the form of self-service shops and it seemed like the best choice for this location. Our experience so far shows that such solutions have been well received and our fifth self-service location, the Uus-Veerenni Community Pantry, confirms this,” said Ilves.

Uus-Veerenni is a residential project developed by Merko. The first residential buildings were erected on former industrial property between Veerenni, Vana-Lõuna and Tehnika streets in Tallinn in 2019. The quarter now has 38 finished buildings that are home to almost 500 families. The next residential building ay Uus-Veerenni will be completed in summer 2026.

Over almost 35 years in operation, Merko has built more than 10,000 high-quality homes in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and developed a better living environment for tens of thousands of people. In the interests of quality and home buyer comfort, Merko manages all facets of apartment development from planning and design of new projects to construction, sales and warranty service. Real estate is developed and apartments sold by Merko Kodud, while buildings and infrastructure are built by Merko Ehitus Eesti. We use only green energy for the construction of all Merko apartment buildings. Merko’s largest residential projects under construction are Uus-Veerenni and Lahekalda in Tallinn, Erminurme in Tartu and Õielehe in the hamlet of Jüri in the capital region. For more information on all Merko developments, visit merko.ee/kodud.