The Architectural Solution of Mustvee City Center Has Been Revealed

The architectural competition for Mustvee city center, organized in cooperation with Mustvee Municipal Government and the Estonian Association of Architects, was won by the concept "Mustvee peenrad" from the office Architect Must. In the winning work, the architects proposed several solutions to strengthen Mustvee's cityscape, including a park-like central square, riverside promenades, fishing terraces, outdoor sports grounds, and conveniently accessible walkways covered with terrace boards for swimming, as well as better mobility options for pedestrians.

According to representatives of the municipal government, the problem in Mustvee is that the central square has not developed and there have been no major changes in the cityscape over the last 50 years. There is great potential in the harbor area, which has also received significant investment and, together with the riverbank area, has changed the most over the last 15 years, but a unified city center concept has been lacking.

"We were looking for a broader, well-thought-out perspective. Today the city is an attraction only in summer, which we want to strengthen further, but from late September until spring, when the lake is freed from ice, is a very quiet period. Developing the city center would hopefully open the way for more year-round activities and bring more people to the city," explained Mustvee municipal mayor and jury chair Indrek Kullam.

The jury praised the winning work because the authors intervened very little in the existing environment and did not propose major changes – for declining settlements, this is a good solution. The authors captured Mustvee's scale and approached the task sensitively, connecting the city center into a unified whole.

The winning work "Mustvee peenrad" was created by architects Ott Alver, Mari Rass, Alvin Järving, Luisa Männilaan and Patrick Barbo. The park-like central square proposed by the architects connects the beach area and city center together and extends the beach park to the Mustvee River and the existing harbor building. Two pedestrian crossings cross the road from the square, leading along a paved path to the bus station and cultural center.

The area in front of the bus station becomes a pedestrian zone that can accommodate a daily market. A lit promenade is created along the river, which is connected to existing cycle paths. Three terraces extending over the river and functioning as extensions of the pedestrian path remain west of the cultural center, where you can sit with your feet in the water or fish.

The area around the harbor building is renovated and a square with a fountain is created next to it, along with a basketball court, an outdoor gym in the forest, and a sports adventure trail for children. On the sandy area on the other side of the promenade, beach volleyball courts are planned. Walkways covered with terrace boards connect the beach to the city across the promenade – three of them start from the edges of the square and from the beach forest, leading straight to the water's edge – from there it's convenient to go directly for a swim. At the end of the pedestrian path running along the pier, there is a new location for Mustvee's symbol – the Neptune statue. This will be a good photo spot and the top of the pier becomes a new walking destination.

The architecture competition prize fund was 25,000 euros.

First prize (9,000 euros) was awarded to the concept "Mustvee peenrad" – by architects Ott Alver, Mari Rass, Alvin Järving, Luisa Männilaan and Patrick Barbo (Architect Must).

Second and third prizes (both 6,000 euros each) were divided equally between two competition works – "Koidik" (joint participants Artepolitan and Aruna-Ehitus, authors: Aleksandr Barabanov, Anastasiia Karavaieva, Andrei Pleskatšjov and Marija Blinova) and "Veelahkmel" (F+A landscape architecture OÜ, authors: Gianfranco Franchi, Chiara Tesi, Rea Sepping, Tõnu Laanemäe).

In addition, two encouragement prizes of 2,000 euros each were awarded. These went to the competition concepts "MUSTVÖÖ" (studio TODAY, authors: Ra Martin Puhkan, Siim Tanel Tõnisson, Kertu Johanna Jõeste and Tristan Krevald) and "VEERE KESE" (Tajuruum, authors: Edgar Kaare, Helen Narusberg, Kärt Reedi and Sten Juur).

The competition was organized as part of the EV100 "Good Public Space" continuation program, funded by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Finance and local governments. The Mustvee architectural competition was the 33rd architectural competition organized through the program.

The competition jury included Mustvee municipal mayor Indrek Kullam, deputy mayor Reili Tooming and municipal legal advisor Marju Soop, representing EAL architects Kalle Vellevoog, Jaan Tiidemann and Maarja Kask, and representing the Estonian Association of Landscape Architects Ülle Kunnus.