Kallaste Town Gets a Representative Viewing Platform at the Town Square

Peipsiääre Municipal Government, in cooperation with the Estonian Architects Association, organized an architectural competition aimed at finding a representative and contemporary waterfront spatial solution for Kallaste town center. The winning entry "Kaldapääsuke" by Liis Uustal from the architectural firm ABMA proposed a representative town square with an arch and viewing platform directed toward Lake Peipsi.

Piibe Koemets, the chair of the competition jury and Peipsiääre municipal mayor, stated that although Kallaste is a declining town, the municipality nevertheless sees significant development opportunities in the town, as it has recently attracted new residents who do not live in Kallaste year-round. "During summer vacation periods, the population of Kallaste doubles, and there are more people in town during school breaks as well. In winter, the town is home to long-staying hobby fishermen. We want to take advantage of Kallaste's potential as the third largest town in the county, and making the town center more contemporary is a step in that direction," added Koemets.

Based on Kallaste's future vision, the competition aimed to find a comprehensive spatial solution for the town center as Kallaste's representative space. The competition area consisted of a central square oriented perpendicular to the lake, Oja Street lying north of it and bordered by community buildings in search of use, and their connection possibilities to the lake.

The architectural competition was organized as part of the EV 100 "Good Public Space" continuation program. Five concept proposals were submitted to the competition, and the best was recognized as "Kaldapääsuke" from the architectural firm ABMA (author Liis Uustal).

According to the jury's assessment, it is a strong work in which the entire competition area has been thoroughly developed, with clear ideas and focus. "At first glance, the arch motif, which frames the view of the lake, seemed too powerful, but it adds a powerful landmark to Kallaste, which is currently lacking. The design gives the town a new identity, is memorable, and is immediately associated with the shoreline characteristic of Kallaste and Lake Peipsi," commented Kalle Vellevoog, the head of the "Good Public Space" program and jury member, architect.

According to him, Kallaste's future representative square is well planned: the bus station is in the right place, movement toward the central square and lake is simple, views are open, and roads and access are solved. "It's nice that the square space has been made narrower and the focus directed toward the lake. In the park area, the structuring of the area ensures a pleasant environment – here one can go for shade, while there is also openness, which is needed for example for organizing parades. Green spaces are compactly distributed, and rain beds have been added as an ecological nuance," added Vellevoog.

According to the author's idea, the new town square ends with a viewing platform and a staircase leading to the lake shore, the final solution of which will need to be refined in cooperation between the municipality and architects to be more sensitive and lighter, since several environmental agency restrictions apply to the shoreline area. The long bench with a slope on the edge of the shore proposed in the proposal is nevertheless functional and the slope is necessary so that people with mobility difficulties or those with baby carriages can reach the lake shore below.

The jury found that the author successfully described possible new functions for the empty buildings and offered them exciting architectural interventions. The arch motif running through the competition work supports the sandstone outcrop and cave theme well. The lights and stairs are strikingly sculptural and fit into the overall concept. In summary, it is a representative and ideologically strong work.

"Kallaste's waterfront urban space should become more human-friendly and diverse, contemporary, representative, and a public space that emphasizes historical heritage, which offers pleasant and safe presence and opportunities for activities for people of all ages in every season. The modernization of the town center should give an impulse to make Kallaste center more attractive, to develop local business, tourism and culture, and to put into use the community buildings currently standing empty in the town center," emphasized Piibe Koemets.

The prize fund for the architectural competition was 20,000 euros.

First prize (8,000 euros) was awarded for the concept proposal "Kaldapääsuke" by Liis Uustal from the architectural firm ABMA.

Second prize (6,000 euros) was awarded to the author of the concept proposal "Serviti" Villem Tomiste from the architectural firm Stuudio Tallinn.

Third prize (4,000 euros) went to the concept proposal "Kaldakaar", whose authors are Triin Vallner and Ko Ai from the architectural firm Majaja.

In addition, an encouragement prize of 2,000 euros was awarded to the architectural firm KA architects for the concept proposal "Kuldrannake" (author Erkki Annama).

The competition jury included Peipsiääre municipal mayor Piibe Koemets, Peipsiääre deputy mayor Peeter Kiuru, Peipsiääre municipal government construction specialist Raimet Figol, "Good Public Space" program head architect Kalle Vellevoog, architects Paco Ulman and Grete Veskiväli from the Estonian Architects Association, and landscape architect Teele Nigola as a representative of the Estonian Landscape Architects Association.

The competition was organized as part of the EV 100 "Good Public Space" continuation program, funded by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance, and the local governments themselves. The Kallaste town center architectural competition was the 35th architectural competition organized through the program.