16 Buildings Participate in the 2021 Building of the Year Competition

16 buildings were submitted to the competition "Building of the Year 2021" organized by the Estonian Concrete Association and the Estonian Construction Materials Manufacturers' Association.

"The geographically wide reach of the concrete structures competition is demonstrated by three of Estonia's largest cities participating with new buildings and structures, as well as East and West Virumaa and three Harju County municipalities," said Imre Leetma, chairman of the board of the Estonian Concrete Association. "The competition and the wide range of concrete structures are well illustrated by the types of buildings participating: office buildings, nursing homes, schools, apartment buildings, skate park, port terminal, bridges, healthcare facilities, tunnels," added Leetma.

According to Imre Leetma, one of the keywords for the competition that is beginning could be considered the bold use of concrete in public urban space, as a city design element – from Tallinn port cruise terminal and the Tartu Riia-Vaksali Street tunnels and viaduct to the Tondiraba Park skate park.

The board of the Estonian Concrete Association approved all 16 buildings submitted to the competition as nominees for "Building of the Year 2021".

"The past year of concrete structures could be called the year of bridges and tunnels – as many as five bridge-tunnel structures are participating in the competition," said Toomas Vainola, executive director of the Estonian Concrete Association. "Among them is also the first completed Rail Baltica viaduct – the Saustinõmme viaduct on Tallinn ring road."

Candidates for the 2021 concrete structure of the year are:

1. Aaspere multilevel intersection, Vanamõisa viaduct and Sauste pedestrian tunnel, Tallinn-Narva highway, Haljala Parish, West Virumaa
2. Ahtme active rehabilitation and health center, Ilmajaama 14 and 12, Ahtme, Kohtla-Järve, East Virumaa
3. Ajamaja, Rotermanni 6, Tallinn
4. Home for people with special needs, Merimetsa tee 3, North Tallinn, Tallinn
5. Kadaka Metsapark apartment buildings, Ehitajate tee 91/1 and 91/2 and Kadaka tee 141 and 141a, Mustamäe, Tallinn
6. Kindluse School, Roheluse tee 4, Järveküla, Rae Parish, Harju County
7. Lahekalda apartment buildings phase I, Paekalda 22, 24 and 24a, Lasnamäe, Tallinn
8. Mary Kay music studio, Alfagaten 1, Mölndal, Sweden
9. Männiku and Liiva light traffic tunnels, Tallinn
10. Pärnu community building, Tammsaare 61, Pärnu
11. Riia-Vaksali Street tunnels and viaduct, Tartu
12. Siug bridge, light traffic path connecting Gonsiori and Majaka streets, Lasnamäe, Tallinn
13. Tabasalu state gymnasium and Tabasalu primary school, Kooli 7/Nooruse 6, Harku Parish, Harju County
14. Tallinn ring road Saustinõmme viaduct, Saku Parish, Harju County
15. Tallinn port cruise terminal, Logi 4/2, Tallinn
16. Tondiraba Park skate park, Lasnamäe, Tallinn.

See also https://www.betoon.org/aasta-betoonehitis/ab-2021/

The purpose of the competition is to find and highlight buildings whose appearance and efficient and economical implementation demonstrate the advantages and possibilities of concrete as a domestic material.

The winning project or work is the one where an important contribution has been made by companies registered in Estonia and concrete materials supplied from Estonia. In selecting the winning work, the professionalism and demanding nature of the project design and construction, quality and innovativeness are also taken into account.

The main prize belongs to the author of the winning idea. Recognition will be given to the client, designer, builder, concrete and formwork supplier of the winning project.

The jury of the competition, held for the twenty-second time, includes representatives of the Estonian Association of Architects, the Estonian Concrete Association, the Estonian Association of Construction Companies, the Estonian Association of Construction Engineers, the Estonian Association of Construction Consulting Companies, the Estonian Association of Construction Materials Manufacturers, Kunda Nordic Cement and construction journalism.

The competition jury will begin its work in January.

The winner will be announced on Concrete Day in March 2022.

Background information:

The Estonian Concrete Association and the Estonian Construction Materials Manufacturers' Association have organized a competition for the best concrete structures of the year for twenty-one years.

2020. year's concrete structure – Laaneotsa House. Competition main prize, architecture – Joel Kopli (KUU Architects).

Client award: private individual; Constructor award: Mihkel Kannelmäe; Builder award: Mapri Ehitus OÜ; Concrete work award: Evocon Grupp OÜ; Concrete award: HC Betoon AS;

Formwork award: Peri AS.

2019. year Concrete structure – Internal Security Academy. Main prize – Arhitekt11 OÜ.
2020. year Concrete structure – Estonian Academy of Arts. Main prize – Kuu Architects: Joel Kopli, Koit Ojaliiv, Juhan Rohtla, Eik Hermann.
2021. year Concrete structure – private house in Viimsi. Main prize – client Mait Rõõmusaar.
2022. year Concrete structure – Estonian National Museum. Main prize – DGT Architects (Dan Dorell, Lina Ghotmeh, Tsuyoshi Tane).

See also: https://www.betoon.org/aasta-betoonehitis/voistlusest/

The Estonian Concrete Association is an association promoting the use of concrete as a domestic building material and includes 78 companies, organizations and individuals.

The Estonian Construction Materials Manufacturers' Association is an association of entrepreneurs engaged in the production and sale of construction materials and includes 64 companies.