heli ja pilt

Sound and Vision

Competition Entry

‘Sound and vision’ is a community hub, which links the southerly side to the northerly side of Tallinn via a pedestrianised media street.

The journey through the site begins and continues as a local community street revealing shifting functions, which include residential, commercial and retail use. The scheme is to formulate a new space and social centre where both arts and commerce can meet and create a dialogue.

The existing street patterns have been rationalised and tailored to create a central place to travel to. This mixed-use area will compliment the radio and tv studios by inspiring the existing community and attracting a whole new community that will include those new to the area and their families.

By utilising the new transport links we intend to draw people in to the new hub from the centre of Tallinn and attract those from surrounding areas. The radio and tv studios will act as the driving force for this regeneration.

The central core of the site acts as a beacon pulsing its positive message to the country, allowing a rippling effect to occur. The rippling effect both profound and confident will mark out its new terrain. The functional geometry of the site and master plan is generated from this ripple. The media street route way takes its confident marks and places elements within, which directly effect and define the required function; shops may be located near homes, cafes near workplaces and parks near schools for example.

The functional necessity of the physicality of ‘sound and vision’ and its immediate vicinity is two fold:

To the right are the practical working spaces of back of house theatres and stages, which allow transport to pass through with ease and relative calm arcing under and beyond the main artery. Across the street we propose the expansion of office space for further development of ‘sound and vision’ or the introduction of commercial enterprise.

To the left of the station and beyond the more public arena; such as the café and archive areas, we propose a series of garden and public spaces to further reinforce the openness and generous nature a modern communications corporation requires.

Within the public realm there should be opportunities for separate commercial ventures such as cafes and leisure facilities. These in turn will compliment and enhance the stations importance in the community.

To both north and south of the station, residential and commercial sites are split fairly evenly providing both the energy and vitality required.
Welcoming people into the area and providing them with an opportunity to explore and develop their cultural potential will support the regeneration of energy and financial stability for the future.

The notion of a street passing from north to south through the entire complex site acts as both a functional and connecting device. It is a reference to Europe’s most interesting and memorable thoroughfares such as the Ramblas in Barcelona, the British museum and Brick Lane in London. These very different locations in their scale and function have one thing in common in that they tie the cities together. Children may dance, traders may trade, performers may inspire, and food may be savoured here. The thoroughfare instinctively allows life to be carried out at an individual pace, and provides an opportunity to take time to escape or tune in.

Further along the media street and directly under building number 2 the museum wall resides, showcasing the aura and mystique surrounding the birth, life and future of ‘sound and vision’. A huge vitrine of memorabilia, both static and interactive describes, entices and intrigues the viewer.

The journey towards ‘sound and vision’ begins and ends at the point of the notional sound wave, invitations are at hand here and you can decide where you’d like to go. This is the central circulation point. A public meeting place with seating offered to gather people in, where the stations exciting opportunities are revealed and people are invited to explore them.

‘sound and vision” is a creative centre that allows life to flourish around it. The mixed use of spaces within reflects the need for essential growth and development. We have done this by proposing over 50 % domestic volume ,40 % commercial offices and work places and 10 % retail and leisure facilities which will surround, enhance and build on the ‘sound and vision’ experience.

We understand the mundane everyday requirements both families and workers need and the proposal of the media street with its potential for galleries and multi media practise offers the necessary lift we feel will allow creativity in the everyday to flourish and grow.

A modern city like Tallinn is expanding and growing and the future needs of the population must be addressed. The urban and cultural shift of Tallinn is absolutely necessary as the existing framework of a gothic city cannot sustain this futuristic vision of modern cultural life.

The ‘sound and vision’ site is held within the confines of a series of radiuses that arc from the centre, defining the boundaries of the elements. It is reached at the end of the street towards the museum vitrine . On arrival the central circulation space presents a choice.

Building 1 houses the practical necessity of producing any media recording and media event. Tv and radio require both a structured and flexible environment for the function of their production.

Architecturally we have defined these individual spaces by describing their volumes as a physical mass. Their relationship reveals the exciting jostling place that defines the production of this practice, both chaotic and organised , visually massive but mentally light and flexible . The use of materials and space will ultimately be defined by the rigorous discussion of all the required inhabitants . We hope to achieve a framework of architecture that defines its function, without compromise, through the knowledge of the subject.

Design Team Steve Jensen and Sigrid Andest