TARTU DOWNTOWN CULTURAL CENTRE
Lead Architect - ATELIER ARYAN
Organizers: Tartu city in cooperation with the Estonian Association of Architects
Team:
Lead architect: Elnaz ARYAN - ATELIER ARYAN
Landscape architect: Angelina WAGON
Phase: International Architecture Competition
Surface :4,6 ha
Year: 2023
The cultural center is located in Tartu, Estonia, on a historically significant site. The project's objective is to preserve the garden area while creating a new cultural center that expands the green spaces, resembling a series of hanging gardens that house various center spaces.
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The commitment to preserving the surrounding ecosystem served as a profound source of inspiration that significantly influenced the project, particularly in its design and the utilization of eco-friendly materials.
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Areas of the building not requiring natural light, including the museum, storage, auditorium, and parking spaces, were strategically positioned in the basement. The placement of these two basement levels was carefully chosen to protect the tree lines along Rue Uuteru and Avenue Vabaduse. The excavated soil from the basement, processed on-site, serves as the primary material for constructing the building. This approach substantially reduces the carbon footprint and construction expenses.
The use of soil for constructing the building carries a symbolic significance as well. The earth, which bears the marks of the past within its layers, now accommodates Tartu's new cultural center—a place of tranquility and openness.
The existing trees on the site have profoundly influenced the above-ground structure, integrating them as an essential part of the architecture.
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The building is aligned along the east-west axis, in harmony with the bustling pedestrian thoroughfare. A pathway that links the university axis to the tree-lined promenade along the river provides direct access to the library on the building's second floor.
General view of the river bank planning