PLAN FOR TUESDAY
Urban planning & housing typologies
Invited competition, II/III prize
Mäealuse, Estonia
2024
The competition invited five offices to propose a masterplan onto a 30 000m2 site nearby Tallinn’s redeveloped industrial land with a programme of 80% housing, commercial and public spaces indoors and outdoors.
Our proposal Tuesday formed two open perimeter blocks that can be developed in two stages. Each centres around a public square and an urban park, interconnected with a pedestrian and single lane vehicle traffic and underground parking. The existing neighborhood is cut into island of developments, separated with cul-de-sacs and fencing. The aim of the proposal was to reinforce the continuation of streets from existing and future development plots, by dividing clear boundaries between private gardens, open parks with outdoor gyms and playgrounds, and single lane street through the blocks and underground parking for busier traffic. Landscaping is inspired by the historically quarried limestone from the site, allowing naturally stepped gardens and playgrounds to enhance and reveal the layers underneath.
Three typologies for 200 housing units of 3-6 story buildings were proposed, including mixed used urban block, residential block and an alternative co-operative model without underground parking and deck access to lower construction and maintenance costs. Each typology included distinctive layouts and qualities with the aim of achieve dual aspect flats, accessibility and visual connectivity to green natural features and subtle landing of rigid architectural blocks into the existing sloping terrain. The ground floor public facades are clad with locally sourced limestone.