Commercial towers costing more than €50 million are emerging in the Hipodroomi district.
Tallinn has issued a building permit for two commercial buildings in the Hipodroom district, developed by Reterra, with Mapri Ehitus as the main contractor. PIN Architects will carry out the architectural design. The financial value of the construction is over 50 million EUR.
Two 12-storey commercial towers with a total ground area of 24 271,4 square metres will be completed at Merimetsa tee 4. The 12 floors of one of the buildings are designed entirely for commercial space, while the other will have 64 apartments in addition to office and showroom space on the four ground floors. The smaller commercial spaces in the towers will start at 200 square metres, the largest at 2000 square metres.
Under both towers will be two floors of car parking with a total surface area of 7 770,9 square metres, providing parking spaces for both commercial tenants and apartment owners. The ground level area of the quarter will be reserved for cyclists and pedestrians.
Future towers in the Hipodroomi district. Photo by Ragnar Jaaniste / Kristo Rämson
According to Oliver Alver, representative of the Tallinn Urban Planning Department, the development of the Hipodroom Quarter is part of the diverse urban densification. “In general, it tends to be the case that residential and commercial buildings offering diversity are built first, and other functions are left undeveloped. In this respect, this development should be commended for the fact that commercial buildings are being built at the same time as residential buildings, which is a prerequisite for a varied and functional urban space.”
According to Alver, the developer of the site, who has sought the best spatial solutions through a prestigious architectural competition, is also to be commended. According to Reigo Randmets, the head of Reterra, the solution was arrived at in mutual understanding with the city. “Construction of the first five apartment buildings in the Hipodroomi quarter is already underway. As one of the planned commercial towers will also include residential space, there will soon be a total of 165 new apartments in the area. The building permit for the business towers is a welcome development, we have been waiting for it for a long time. A modern urban environment must be multifunctional, combining residential and commercial space and, of course, services for the public. The Quarter must work 24/7,” said Randmets.
The business towers will be located on the Paldiski Road side of the quarter, near the Hipodroom intersection. “When creatively designing urban space, it is important to take into account everything that is important – the future, dreams, location, users, the vision of the city, observers, logistics, convenience, beauty, sustainability, durability, proportions and at least a hundred other important things,” explains Jaan Port, Director of PIN Architects.
According to Port, today’s people value spaciousness more than anything else in both working and living environments. “This doesn’t necessarily mean an open office, but space for everyone – both privacy and common area. In our solution, we made sure that the towers of the Hipodroom were easily accessible and that the higher floors offered views of the Old Town, the sea and the Stroomi forest. So that the benefits of the area are maximised and the history of the Hippodrome is given a dignified ending.”
The Hipodroomi business towers are A energy label compliant. Construction is scheduled to start as early as next year.
Article published on 4 December 2024 in the Postimees.