MARIA ALNEK
art & architecture
The possibility of Smart Space in Põltsamaa Castle
My thesis deals with a reconstruction of the ruins of Põltsamaa Castle. The object is located in a small town in the middle of Estonia.
It was founded by the Livonian Order in 1272, as a purely defensive crusader fortress. During the centuries several additions were made: a convent hall was added; in the 16th century, a bastion and a cannon tower were built; in the 17th C the castle was slowly transformed from a fortress into a residence and the cannon tower became a church. In the 18th century the owner of the building transformed it into a luxurious rococo palace. In 1941, during the Second World War, the castle was almost completely destroyed in an air raid.
Throughout the autumn semester I tried to find functions that could have been applied in the castle. It turned out to be a real challenge. Usages that came under consideration were river aquarium, small nuclear power station, anti-aging centre etc.
Finally I came up with an idea of dynamic space that can change its function according to the need. The concept of such space comes from the developement of the site itself, where some sort of need always led to changes…some parts were destroyed, then something new was added. I like the idea of a space that is not fixed, that can change itself according to whatever is needed or whatever somebody decides to do there. Mechanically movable floors and walls are able to create all kinds of spatial configurations working as a machine that generates room. Here one can add physical parameters (height, angle) to the dynamic elements, having an experience of changeable space. The system also allows several practical usages, e.g concerts, exhibitions, performances, film studios, brewery, gym, hotel etc.
Living nests
This private residence has eight rooms that are located on different levels. The house has a core – big living area where you can find 7 stairways leading to smaller spaces. Each stairway has different number of steps – 3 (granny’s room), 5 (main bathroom), 7 (kitchen), 13 (office), 15 (children’s room), 17 (children’s room) and 19 (main bedroom). The last 4 rooms are also connected to ramps, so that you wouldn’t have to go downstairs in order to get from one to another. The entrance with wardrobe is on the same level as living room (ground floor). All the rooms that are lifted up from the ground stand on posts looking like nest boxes. These so called living nests are made from wood, but the central space between them is from glass. Located under the pine trees of Nõmme, this kind of living provides a joyful and active life!
Apartments in Viljandi
The new apartments in Viljandi are planned on the territory of former bus park, which size is 1,26 ha. This area is formed by Tallinna, Uku, Savi and Jakobsoni streets. Our planning proposal creates a new pedestrian street in order to connect Viljandi Bus Station and Uku Centre to the market area in the south.
New apartment buildings are designed in two rows, so that the first one is facing Savi st and the second one new pedestrian str. Between the two you’ll find a Park of Attractions offering residents all kinds of fun activities: e.g. badminton, skateboarding, swimming, mini golf, gym etc. First floor apartments have large terraces open to the courtyard (park). On the second floor there are bridges connecting the buildings and park attractions, they also function as terraces for barbecuing etc.
Cinema / Swimming Pool in Viljandi
Cinema / Swimming Pool is a hybrid building in Viljandi that looks like a pipe or tunnel with two ends. One opens to the cinema, and the other to water park. The building is 140 m long and creates a diagonal between Hariduse and Vaksali streets. Since the height difference due to landscape is 12 m, the whole building rises step by step. Functionally it is divided into three parts: cinema, piano bar together with bowling hall and water park. Because of the length and narrowness, this hybrid house has rooms in sequence. Followed by one another, different functions form vertical segregations. Working not only as places where daylight gets in, they also create walking tunnels outside the house. In that way people can get safely from one end of the building to the other.
New building for Estonian Academy of Arts