Zaha Hadid Arcitects, the London-based and internationally renowned architecture and design firm, will draw up the development plans for the Estonian capital’s old harbour.
The Port of Tallinn launched an international competition for the Masterplan 2030 for the Tallinn Old City Harbour in 2016 with plans to introduce more urban development in the area, alongside its port functions. The state-owned port operator aims to transform the area into an urban space that is both attractive and easy to traverse.
On 29 August, the Port of Tallinn crowned Zaha Hadid Architects a winner among the three finalists, praising its innovative and integrated approach to Tallinn’s maritime gateway. “Zaha Hadid has very skilfully created a balanced connection between urban space and the port area with some carefully considered access roads and traffic solutions,” Valdo Kalm, the chairman of the Port of Tallinn, said in a statement.
Among other aspects, the architectural jury evaluated how well the ideas worked with the surrounding environment, how fresh and innovative the solutions were and how feasible it would be to realise the ideas.
The Port of Tallinn plans to complete the Masterplan 2030 for the Old City Harbour by the end of 2017 and give a green light for first new developments in 2018.
World famous architect
Zaha Hadid Architects was founded in London by the Iraqi-British architect, Zaha Hadid (1950-2016), who was the first woman to receive the Pritzker Architecture Prize (2004), equivalent of the Nobel Prize of architecture. Her firm’s major works include the BMW Central Building in Leipzig (Germany), the Bridge Pavilion in Zaragoza (Spain), the Guangzhou Opera House (China), the Riverside Museum in Glasgow (UK), the London Aquatics Centre (UK) and the Port Authority Building in Antwerp (Belgium), among many others.
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Cover: Zaha Hadid Architects’ concept, Streamcity (Zaha Hadid Architects.)
