Martin Aunin is a Concrete Friend 2026

The Estonian Concrete Association has named architect Martin Aunin as the 2026 "Concrete Friend," recognizing his innovative and deeply professional application of concrete and concrete architecture in contemporary Estonian construction art.

Martin Aunin is one of Estonia's most prolific leading architects, whose buildings have become symbolically significant, particularly in the Tallinn cityscape. His work is characterized by refined material selection, bold and exciting spatial distribution, and excellent environmental sensitivity. He has created over 50 major building complexes, and his designs include Estonia's tallest office building. 

Under Martin Aunin's leadership, his architecture firm has completed numerous prominent landmarks where concrete plays both a functional and aesthetic role. His work, through various forms and geometry, creates a versatile, bold, and dignified image of modern concrete construction over the past decades.

"Martin Aunin has been an excellent advocate for concrete as a material, managing to articulate both the material's constructive and aesthetic qualities verbally," said Estonian Concrete Association chairman Imre Leetma. "He treats concrete as an authentic and honest material, which for him is not merely the hidden load-bearing structure of a building, but the primary means of expression for facade art and sculptural form. His projects continuously push the boundaries of Estonian concrete architecture and technology," added Leetma.

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The architecture and concrete solutions created by Martin Aunin have received significant recognition. As early as 2004, the glamorous and stylish Ülemiste Hotel he designed won the grand prize for "Building of Concrete 2004." The prestigious Järve Towers district he created also received the "Building of Concrete 2022" title. His creations include several other significant and highly acclaimed buildings such as the Tetris office building, Telegraaf Hotel, Arteri district, and the Wise building complex. The "White House" and "Black House" designed beneath the pines of Nõmme are absolute peaks of contemporary Estonian residential architecture, demonstrating his ability to blend monolithic concrete and top-tier design into Nõmme's historic living environment. 

Martin Aunin (b. 1971) graduated from the Department of Architecture at Tallinn University of Art (1993) and furthered his education at Helsinki University of Technology. He has been actively engaged in Estonian architecture for over three decades, creating a wide range of buildings from exclusive single-family homes and apartment buildings to large-scale commercial buildings. 

The "Concrete Friend 2026" award was announced on Tuesday at the Concrete Technology Day at Tallinn University of Technology.

The unique award for the Estonian Concrete Association's "Concrete Friend" was created for Martin Aunin by artist Jüri Mildeberg.

Previous recipients of the Estonian Concrete Association's "Concrete Friend" title include:

• television journalist Ene-Maris Tali, 2025;

• sculptor Oliver Soomets, 2024;

• construction engineer Riho Oras, 2023;

• architectural historian Carl-Dag Lige, 2022;

• Tallinn City Government, 2021;

• construction historian Maris Mändel, 2020;

• construction entrepreneur Mait Rõõmusaar, 2019;

• construction entrepreneur Peep Roosmann, 2018.

"Concrete Friend" is an award given by the Estonian Concrete Association to recognize and highlight those individuals (and organizations) who make an outstanding contribution to concrete, the most widely used domestic construction material in all its possible forms.  

The Estonian Concrete Association is an association promoting the use of concrete as a domestic construction material, with 85 companies, organizations, and individuals as members.