Kultuurikatel is ongoing reconstruction project of old Tallinn Power Plant complex,located close to Old Town & Passenger Harbour. Existing complex is under heritage protection and dates back to 1860s when Tallinn's Gasworks was built there. Between 1912-1913 most of the gasworks was demolished and new power plant was built on same location. Power production was shut down on 1979 and until 1990s plant was producing district heating.

Existing buildings were built in following years:

Gasworks - 1860
Turbine hall - 1929
Conveyor gantry - 1930s (?)
Switchgear building - 1932
Boiler hall - 1934
Chimney - 1948



Kultuurikatel ('Culture Kettle/Boiler') is proposed as centre of culture - combining art galleries,music studios,theatre,architecture centre,public spaces etc. in one complex. Observation deck will be built on top of power plant chimney. Afaik,reconstruction works are split into 4 stages and entire complex should be completed in 2015. Considering it's original & planned purpose,It's fair to compare this project to Tate Modern (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tate_Modern) in London.

Architects: Siiri Vallner & Indrek Peil from Kavakava OÜ
Building size: N/A
Estimated deadline: stage 1 - 2012; entire project - 2015
Cost of project: stage 1 - around 20 million Euros + taxes
Main contractor: Astlanda Ehitus OÜ; Rand & Tuulberg AS
Sub-contractor: BauEST

Current project status: stage 1 ongoing.

Project renders:
http://i51.tinypic.com/16k8ks6.jpg

Photos:
http://i54.tinypic.com/200xxrp.jpg

How the place looks right now:

http://i56.tinypic.com/vup10.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/wsn52d.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/hv12eh.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/13zzx2o.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2qjzps0.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/90yp1l.jpg

Bonus - this UN graffiti was made for Stalker (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalker_(film)) movie in 1979.
http://i55.tinypic.com/xg8pu.jpg

As you can see,stage 0 is sheduled to be completed in July.

http://i51.tinypic.com/20jjtwy.jpg

And yes,I travelled to the future to take this photo :D

it's unfortunate that the tallinn heritage protection did not allow the architects to build the viewing platform on top of the chimney. i haven't seen the project but a concrete box on top of an old brick chimney sounds very cool to me... as far as i know, in the current project the platform will be built inside the chimney so that little holes will be punched in the walls... anyway, the chimney reconstruction will be very interesting engineering-wise - basically they'll have to build a concrete chimney inside the brick chimney... :P


and here's an additional view from oleviste church:

(full size here: http://static3.nagi.ee/i/p/716/6/179015116b7dc3_o.jpg)
http://static3.nagi.ee/i/p/716/6/179015116b7dc3_l.jpg

Kultuurikatel design contest was held in May 2009 and as I wrote,architects from Kavakava office won (with they work 'AK') and centre will be built according to their design.

Second place went to T.Sooväli OÜ (work named 'Lahvatus') and third place went to Kosmos ('Risttee')

So here's the third place - by Kosmos architects Villem Tomiste,Mihkel Tüür & Ott Kadarik:

http://i52.tinypic.com/2jg3qro.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/iyodar.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/34rafid.jpg

http://i55.tinypic.com/2gv0qzc.jpg

http://i56.tinypic.com/2mi3hx5.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/2lvh1dh.jpg

You can see more renders here (http://www.kosmoses.ee/10000.html) (click on the 'Kultuurivabrik')

it's unfortunate that the tallinn heritage protection did not allow the architects to build the viewing platform on top of the chimney. i haven't seen the project but a concrete box on top of an old brick chimney sounds very cool to me... as far as i know, in the current project the platform will be built inside the chimney so that little holes will be punched in the walls... anyway, the chimney reconstruction will be very interesting engineering-wise - basically they'll have to build a concrete chimney inside the brick chimney... :P

Spherical observation deck would have been the best :D (Nagu suur pulgakomm...)

Spherical observation deck would have been the best :D (Nagu suur pulgakomm...)

damn you tin, I always have had hope to land silver shiny UFO there.:lol:

Astlanda Ehitus is been setting up it's camp near Kultuurikatel.

http://i56.tinypic.com/2qt8pd1.jpg

Photo update (25th September)

http://i52.tinypic.com/290zwu9.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/1z16902.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/20it276.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/r1l7av.jpg

http://i51.tinypic.com/2j5juie.jpg

i am eagerly waiting for this thing to be completed. same goes for the other 3 projects currently u/c by kavakava - narva college, tartu healthcare college, and a duplex dwelling in nõmme (will soon go and see how far they are with this).

Design bureau KEHA3 OÜ has designed street lights & exterior lighting concept for Kultuurikatel.

http://www.keha3.ee/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/kkatel-2.jpg

http://www.keha3.ee/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/kkatel-4.jpg

http://www.keha3.ee/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/IMG_7185-2.jpg

Link: http://www.keha3.ee/projektid/kultuurikatel

Same company has previously designed über-cool street lights in Rotermanni quarter :)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7159/6725393119_1a5e0ba8d1_z.jpg

Facelift of a old watertower(?) - new office or private house... (?):)
Opposite the old watertower(?) is now Asian high class restaurant.

Gas works tower? (there are two of them at Kultuurikatel) Anyway,thanks for the update! :okay: