For investors of the shopping and office centre Porto Franco, which will be built in the Admiralty Basin region of Tallinn, the preferred partners to whom the designing contract should be awarded are the authors of the entry “Tectonicum” from the Estonian architectural bureau Kadarik, Tüür. Arhitektid (KTA), which won the second place at the architectural competition, declared the CEO of Porto Franco Aldo Dapon.
According to Dapon, negotiations with KTA are underway, and the parties expect to reach an agreement quite soon. ‘The investors’ decision was prompted by the experience acquired by Kadarik Tüür. Arhitektid as the architects of the new Tartu Department store, as well as by the opinion of the award panel of Porto Franco, comprising architects from UEA and other members, by which the entry by Kadarik Tüür. Arhitektid was declared the best entry submitted by Estonian architects,’ noted Dapon.
In his opinion all finalist entries of the competition were valuable and every one of them has certain elements that deserve to be used in the final design. The solutions presented to the architectural competitions are, in his words, intended as the basis for selecting the partner who is capable of preparing high-quality building design documentation. ‘Today our goal is to conclude a designing contract with a competent and capable partner who could work out architecturally and functionally suitable design documentation for Porto Franco that addresses the needs of the urban environment,’ he stated.
None of the entries submitted to the competition was, in Dapon’s words, a complete set of building design documentation, and every one of them would need further elaboration. ‘However, a working solution is produced when opinions of each party – architects, tenants, urban planners, developers and investors are taken into account. Obviously, the reality is that in most cases these opinions never fully coincide. We will be looking for compromises, and the decision will be taken democratically.’
Porto Franco is the largest shopping and office complex with the total area of ca 160,000 m2 that will be built in the centre of Tallinn on the site at the Admiralty Basin. The complex will feature ca 40,000 m2 of retail and catering facilities, and ca 30,000 m2 of office premises that will become a place of work for nearly 3,000 people. The total investment into the project, realised at the initiative of Estonian investors, is ca 160 million euros.
Architectural bureau Kadarik, Tüür. Arhitektid. competition work of Porto Franco
Arhitects Mihkel Tüür and Ott Kadarik from architectural bureau “Kadarik, Tüür. Arhitektid”.