Tallinn TV Tower Tallinn TV Tower
Viewing platform

Tallinn TV Tower

From a Soviet era techno-structure to a modern tourist attraction

We led the reconstruction of the Tallinn TV Tower between 2009 and 2012 as a careful exercise in making a tall, highly visible technical structure work better for people while protecting its iconic silhouette. From our point of view the project was never about restyling for its own sake but about respecting the tower’s identity and improving how it performs — structurally, technically and as a public place.

The brief asked us to upgrade visitor facilities, bring the building up to contemporary safety and accessibility standards, modernise mechanical and electrical systems, and extend the tower’s useful life in a harsh, windy climate. Working at height imposed obvious constraints: wind and weather, limited working zones, and the need to coordinate closely with the tower operators so that broadcasting services were affected as little as possible. These constraints shaped nearly every decision we made.

Our approach was pragmatic and surgical. Where possible we kept the original structural and visible elements and introduced new interventions that were lightweight, reversible and legible against the existing fabric. We reworked vertical circulation and visitor flows to make access simpler and safer, added accessible routes and upgraded evacuation and fire-safety systems. Internally we reorganised public areas to improve views, wayfinding and comfort, and fitted modern building services that reduced energy use and simplified maintenance.

 

Client
Levira
Architects
Raivo Kotov, Margit Aule, Tõnis Savi, Artur Ümar, Kaur Stöör, Tarts, Udu, Andrus Kõresaar
Invited architecture competition
2009, 1st prize
Completed
2012
Size
10 000 m2
View from entrance point View from entrance point
View from entrance point

On the exterior we focused on durable, low-maintenance materials that respond to the marine climate while preserving the tower’s slender profile. New glazing and carefully detailed cladding repairs improved thermal performance without diluting the tower’s character. We also designed an understated lighting strategy to bring out the tower’s form at night without turning it into an over-lit object.

The project demanded close collaboration with structural and MEP engineers, broadcast technicians, conservation authorities and contractors. Phased construction sequencing and tight site logistics were essential to keep the facility operational and to deliver works safely at height.

By 2012 the reconstruction had renewed the tower as both a functioning technical installation and a welcoming public landmark. For us the work was a good example of how interventions at scale can be modest in expression yet significant in impact — strengthening and modernising an emblematic structure while keeping what makes it unmistakably itself.

The Tallinn TV tower is the highest building in Estonia. It was constructed between 1975–1980 for the Moscow Olympic Games sailing regatta held in Tallinn as a part of a large building programme undertaken before the event, and which also produced structures like Linnahall, the post office in the city centre, Pirita Olympic Sailing Centre and many others. A few years later, the TV Tower, located in the pine forests of Pirita, became a symbol of Estonia’s regained independence when local activists held it against Soviet soldiers. The tower, boasting the most spectacular viewing platform in the city, and from which even the coast of Finland is visible in clear weather, was closed to the public in 2007, as it could no longer comply with the fire safety regulations.
In 2009, KOKO architects won the competition for the renovation of the tower – it was to once again become popular among sightseers. In the past, it had mostly been the restaurant floor of the tower that had been open to the public, but the new design set out to create a complex centre of entertainment and leisure. One of the most significant changes envisioned by KOKO was redesigning the entrance area. The old canopy and pools were replaced by a modern entrance with slanted surfaces, which also starts the exhibition showcasing the history of Tallinn TV Tower.

In the interior of the tower, both the lower floors as well as the upper restaurant and exhibition floors were redesigned. The interior design is inspired by the techno-aesthetic of the 1960s and 1970s. The modern colour and lighting solutions and the special designs for the furnishings create an air of being in a time capsule.
When it comes to the restaurant floor, the design focuses on the comfort of the guests and allows them to fully enjoy the views. On the upper floor of the exhibition visitors can individually interact with robots with touch screens and motion sensors.

KOKO architects has converted the Tallinn TV Tower from a Soviet era techno-structure into a modern entertainment centre. The restaurant, cinema and the exhibition spaces invite visitors to spend a stimulating and enjoyable day in the TV tower while taking in the spectacular views of Tallinn.
Text: Carl-Dag Lige
View to the entrance tunnel, built to protect visitor from icicles in the winter View to the entrance tunnel, built to protect visitor from icicles in the winter
View to the entrance tunnel, built to protect visitor from icicles in the winter
Futuristic exposition with robotic mushrooms Futuristic exposition with robotic mushrooms
Futuristic exposition with robotic mushrooms
3D section 3D section
3D section

Photos: Kaido Haagen, Arne Maasik, Tõnu Tunnel

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